An Unprecedented Conference
From July 9 to 11, 2026,the University of Bergamo hosted the 42nd EGOS Colloquium, the first true “blended” event in the 40-year history of EGOS—the European Group for Organizational Studies. The academic program was held almost entirely online, complemented by an in-person component focused on networking and cultural exchange: a bold move by the Executive Board to open the organization to smaller universities and reduce travel-related CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030.
The World in a Single Community
The gamble paid off: 1,449 registrations from 59 countries, with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy leading the way. Behind these numbers lies an impressive technological infrastructure—a platform capable of handling up to 60 simultaneous virtual rooms, thoroughly tested with 660 dedicated test rooms before the event began, and peaking at 901 people connected at the same time during the event’s highlight days.
Despite this complexity, Promoest served as a full-service Professional Congress Organizer: a customized registration platform, organizational and financial management for 1,449 delegates, communication via official EGOS channels throughout the entire conference, badges and branding materials, hostess services, and on-site IT support for the entire week. This comprehensive effort made possible, behind the scenes, an experiment that redefined what it means to organize an academic conference on a global scale.
The invisible director behind every act
Bergamo: From Cloisters to Artificial Intelligence
While the scientific heart beat online, the Sant’Agostino Complex in Bergamo Alta hosted the human soul of the Colloquium: the Opening Ceremony, with 100 in-person participants and 160 online, offered an unconventional moment: a live dialogue between the philosopher of science Telmo Pievani and a generative artificial intelligence. In the surrounding area, there were walks along the Venetian Walls, guided tours, and daily yoga and tai chi sessions for the community.
