International Mountain Conference 2025
From September 14 to 18, 2025, the International Mountain Conference (IMC) welcomed more than 1,000 delegates from up to 50 countries to Innsbruck. In the heart of the Eastern Alps, international experts addressed the most pressing challenges facing alpine regions: melting glaciers and permafrost, increasing extreme weather events, and climate change–driven natural hazards. Across more than 150 sessions, it became clear that mountain regions worldwide face similar issues and that sustainable solutions can only be achieved through interdisciplinary exchange.
Summit meeting on three campuses
The Campus SoWi in Innsbruck’s city center served as the main conference venue for #IMC2025 and stood out with its innovative outdoor poster exhibition, bringing scientific exchange into an open-air setting. Additional conference facilities at the nearby Theology Campus and the Management Center Innsbruck complemented the venue cluster, together providing an ideal framework for more than 150 program sessions.
Experiencing Sustainability: From Glacier Dialogue to Local Food Festival
In addition to scientific sessions, workshops and keynote addresses, IMC 2025 impressed with a diverse social and networking program. The “Running Minds Community Run” organized by the Kilian Jornet Foundation invited delegates and outdoor enthusiasts to a 5–7 km run through Innsbruck’s natural surroundings, fostering dialogue on mountain sports and environmental protection. In recognition of the UN-declared International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, the panel discussion “The Value of Glaciers” explored the biological, ecological and cultural significance of melting glaciers, followed by the screening of Requiem in White at Saal Tirol, Congress Innsbruck. The culinary highlight was the Local Food Festival in the SoWi Garden, where regional producers showcased traditional and seasonal cuisine at numerous market stalls.
Organization with a focus on sustainability
The Innsbruck Convention Bureau supported Congress Ambassador Dr. Wolfgang Gurgiser throughout the entire planning phase. Services ranged from providing comprehensive regional information brochures to full management of the hotel room blocks, including a user-friendly booking link for congress participants. With its certification as a Green Event Tyrol, IMC 2025 set new standards in sustainability. Additionally, the tourism region contributed to environmentally friendly mobility during the conference by offering the Welcome Card free of charge to guests staying at least two nights in the Innsbruck area.
The IMC will take place again in Innsbruck from September 10 to 14, 2028.
International Mountain Conference
University of Innsbruck: Research focus on the Alpine region
