Congress track record

4.3.2025 

Finland's reputation as a prime destination for international congresses is well-established. Finns are experienced event organisers, and all services are first class. Finland also boasts a long and impressive list of international associations that have chosen it as their conference destination. This makes Finland the leading congress country in the Nordics and places it among the top 20 globally. (Source: UIA.)

This list highlights some recent association congresses held in Finland. The events have created a powerful legacy, with each congress contributing to the dynamism of the congress cities respectively and leaving a lasting impact on the local communities.

EAN 2024, Congress of The European Academy of Neurology
Messukeskus Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre, 7000 participants.
The 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology took place in Helsinki in the summer of 2024 and reached a record number of participants. A core value of the European Academy of Neurology is to spread the knowledge of brain health. Several activities with the theme brain health took place before the conference. For example, a school challenge: students were asked to come up with an idea, strategy, or campaign on how to motivate their peers in taking care of their brain health.
During the conference, brain health also got a lot of visibility in the city and at the airport when a large number of digital screens displayed messages about the subject.

SDGC24, The Service Design Global Conference 2024
Helsinki Congress Paasitorni, 800 participants.
The Service Design Global Conference 2024, a global event for professionals and design enthusiasts alike, was held in Helsinki in autumn 2024. During the conference, students from Live Vocational College, the largest special education institution in Helsinki, were given the opportunity get valuable work experience on-site the conference.

AEC 2023, 33rd Alzheimer Europe Conference
Messukeskus Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre, 1100 participants.
The 33rd Alzheimer Europe Conference took place in Helsinki in October 2023. Alzheimer Europe conferences bring together all types of people who are affected by dementia - living with the disease, caring for someone with the disease or working in the field of dementia. Before the congress the Alzheimer Society of Finland produced an educational video on how to encounter people with dementia. The distribution of the video included the venue, hotels and restaurants in the city and enabled the personnel to be prepared on how to give the best possible service to people suffering from dementia.

IACA Conference 2022, International Association for Court Administration
Clarion Hotel Helsinki, 250 participants.
In October 2022, Helsinki had the honor to be the host city of the Conference of the International Association of Court Administration. The mission of IACA is to promote professional court administration and management in emerging democracies and other countries pursuing the rule of law.

EIBA 2024, 50th EIBA Annual Conference
Aalto University, 644 delegates. 
The 50th Annual Conference of the European International Business Academy, held at Aalto University's Otaniemi campus in Espoo in December 2024, marked a significant milestone in the evolution of international business research. The event's theme, "That's Interesting! Rethinking IB Research for the Next 50 Years," inspired over 600 scholars and practitioners to engage in forward-looking discussions, building upon EIBA's five-decade legacy of fostering European perspectives in the field. 
Hosting this landmark conference boosted the global visibility of both City of Espoo and Aalto University, showcasing their leadership in driving innovation and new approaches to international business research. The gathering reinforced the city's and the university's dedication to academic excellence and international collaboration, positioning them at the forefront of innovative business research.

EAA 2023, 45th Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association 
1213 delegates.
The 45th Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association, hosted by Aalto University School of Business in May 2023, in Espoo and Helsinki, convened over 1,300 accounting scholars and professionals from 53 countries. The congress featured nearly 800 research presentations, with a significant focus on sustainability reporting, climate change, and the integration of financial and non-financial information. Delegates also engaged in extracurricular activities, such as a hiking trip to Nuuksio National Park and dinner cruise in the Espoo archipelago, providing a unique opportunity to experience Finnish nature and culture. 
Congress delegates appreciated not only Finland's natural beauty but also its efficient organization, welcoming inclusivity, and safe atmosphere, highlighting the country’s appeal as a top congress destination. This event not only enhanced the international visibility of Espoo and Aalto University but also highlighted their commitment to advancing accounting research and education.

EURO 2022, The 32nd European Conference on Operational Research  
Aalto University, 1900 delegates.
The 32nd European Conference on Operational Research, held at Aalto University in Espoo in July 2022, was a major gathering of nearly 1,900 participants. The conference featured approximately 1,490 research presentations, fostering extensive academic exchange and collaboration. Hosting this event underscored Espoo’s and Aalto University’s pivotal role in shaping the future of operational research while showcasing their capacity for organizing world-class academic events. 
Delegates had the opportunity to engage in casual mingling and networking, strengthening professional connections in Espoo’s dynamic innovation ecosystem. The event also highlighted Espoo’s strengths as a high-tech, sustainable city that fosters collaboration between academia and industry. Finland’s reputation as a safe and sustainable country for hosting international conferences was further reinforced, making Espoo an attractive destination for future events.

NCGP 2024, The 23rd Nordic Congress of General Practice
Logomo, 1074 delegates.
The Nordic Congress of General Practice 2024 brought together over 1,000 medical professionals from 21 countries to Turku, highlighting the city's strong expertise in primary healthcare and medical education. The congress provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and the discussion of future healthcare challenges in the Nordic region. 
The event reinforced Turku’s position as a hub for medical congresses, benefiting both local healthcare professionals and international attendees. The organizers praised the seamless event arrangements, from venue logistics to delegate services, ensuring a smooth and inspiring congress experience.

ECCB 2024, The 23rd European Conference on Computational Biology
Logomo, 768 delegates.
The European Congress of Computational Biology 2024 gathered nearly 800 participants in Turku, with 82% being international visitors, reinforcing the city's role as a key meeting point for biodiversity and environmental research. This is Europe’s flagship event in the field of computational biology and bioinformatics this year, and for the first time, this prestigious annual scientific conference is being held in a Nordic country. 
Hosting this congress not only brought international experts together but also strengthened local academic and research networks in computational science. Organizers praised the city’s well-connected venues and the seamless collaboration with local partners, making Turku an ideal host for scientific congresses. Turku is known for its walkability, making it easy for attendees to explore its cultural and historical attractions.

ISCRE28, International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering 2024
Logomo, 490 delegates.
The Global Conference on Chemical Reaction Engineering in 2024 brought leading experts in chemical engineering to Turku, marking a significant milestone for the city’s scientific community as ISCRE is the most prestigious conference in chemical reaction engineering. The congress facilitated high-level discussions on advancements in reaction engineering, catalysis, and sustainable industrial processes.
Hosting this prestigious event strengthened Turku’s reputation as a center for cutting-edge research and innovation, fostering collaboration between academia and industry.

ELMI 2022, 21st International European Light Microscopy Initiative Meeting
Logomo, 511 delegates.
The European BioImaging Meeting in 2022 gathered top experts in bioimaging at Logomo in Turku, fostering collaboration on cutting-edge imaging technologies. Equipment exhibitions, the booths of international developers and various workshops play a key role at ELMI conferences in achieving the goals set for them. The main objective is to promote collaboration between academic research and equipment developers. Transporting the expensive, multi-million-euro microscopes and presenting their technical features demand a lot from the location and its technology in particular.

2024 AIESEP International Conference
The conference was organised by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä. It was the largest congress ever organised in the AIESEP (Association Internationale des Écoles Supérieures d'Éducation Physique) congress series, with 550 participants from 52 different countries, from all continents. The conference series dates back to 1963.
The theme of the conference was "Past Meets the Future", highlighting Jyväskylä's role as a pioneer in physical education teacher education. The highly successful conference provided a forum for researchers and professionals to share the latest research and a place to network and innovate new approaches to the development of physical education and related fields.

IAEVG 2024, International Conference of the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance 
The conference was organised by the University of Jyväskylä's Institute for Educational Research in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The conference was attended by 401 participants from 45 countries on site and 320 participants online.  
The conference theme "Riding the Wave of Change" reflected the key issues of educational guidance in a rapidly changing world. The conference received particularly positive feedback for the excellent participant communication and the good spirit and atmosphere created during the event.

NCDHWS2024, Nordic Conference on Digital Health and Wireless Solutions
The multidisciplinary research programs DigiHealth and 6GESS at the University of Oulu organized the first Nordic Conference on Digital Health and Wireless Solutions in May 2024, bringing together over 260 international experts from fields such as medicine, health sciences, health economics, information and sensor technology, and wireless communications. The conference featured presentations from 24 international keynote speakers and 90 other scientific presentations, which have been published in a collection by Springer. 
NCDHWS2024 was significant for the city of Oulu and the university, as it reinforced the city's position as a center of technological innovation and a pioneer in implementing a multidisciplinary research culture in practice. The successful congress provided an excellent opportunity for professionals, researchers, and industry representatives to discuss and share insights on the latest developments in digital health and related technologies. The conference's legacy is captured in the published scientific articles on digital health and wireless solutions research, which also bolster Oulu's status as a premier hub for multidisciplinary health technology research.

Finland has a strong international reputation and vast experience when it comes to organising conferences and corporate events. For more inspiration and references from previous congresses in Finland, see the Success stories on our website. 

There are plenty of confirmed association meetings and congresses for Finland for the upcoming years, too. For a list of future congresses in Finnish cities, see our Congress Calendar.