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ISWA2026
3rd International Symposium on Work in Agriculture - ISWA
in collaboration with Fachausschuss für Arbeitswissenschaften im Landbau and HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute
“Addressing current and future challenges of work in agriculture: research, policy and practice”
3rd International Symposium on Work in Agriculture – ISWA, 7th HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute Annual Event (2026), 25. Fachausschuss für Arbeitswissenschaften im Landbau - AKAL
Call for working groups is open until 29 August 2025!
The symposium will focus on the theme of current and future challenges of work in agriculture from a research, policy and practice perspective.
Global crises, structural change, evolving labour dynamics and other dynamics at multiple levels create challenges of work in agriculture, currently and in the future. This requires research attention, meeting the needs of policy and practice. the symposium brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to address urgent questions and promote sustainable, inclusive solutions.
The core topics to be addressed during the symposium include:
- Attractiveness of agricultural work
- Decent work
- Knowledge, skills, and education in agriculture
- Changing work dynamics through digitalization and climate change
- Health and safety of agricultural workers
- Agricultural workforce development systems
Scientific committee
Katja Heitkämper
Deputy Head of Socioeconomics Research Group – Board of AKAL
Agroscope, Switzerland
Sandra Contzen
Professor for Rural Sociology
Bern University of Applied Sciences School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (BFH-HAFL) – Board of IAWA – Switzerland
Zenebe Uraguchi
Professor of Development Economics
Bern University of Applied Sciences School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (BFH-HAFL) – Switzerland
Mohamed Taher Sraïri
Senior lecturer
Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Institute, Rabat – Board of IAWA – MOROCCO
Ruth Nettle
Professor, Lead of the Rural Innovation Research Group - RIRG
University of Melbourne, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences – Board of IAWA – Australia
About IAWA
The International Association on Work in Agriculture(IAWA) stands behind the International Symposium on Work in Agriculture (ISWA). It brings together researchers and extensionists from around the globe and with diverse disciplinary backgrounds to engage in discussions about the future of work in agriculture.
For more information, please visit the IAWA website. If you're interested in becoming an IAWA member, you can subscribe here: Join IAWA
About Hugo P. Cecchini Institute
Named after Hugo P. Cecchini, a former student and long-standing member of the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH-HAFL), the Hugo P. Cecchini Institute tackles some of the most pressing global challenges outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With an interdisciplinary approach, more than 50 researchers at the HAFL are engaged in projects across over 100 countries, collaborating with more than 70 national and international organizations.
For more information, please visit: Expertise HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute | BFH
About AKAL
The committee Fachausschuss für Arbeitswissenschaften im Landbau (Labour Science in Agriculture) focusses on work organization and management, occupational safety and health, ergonomics, and related methods and tools. The AKAL is part of the Max Eyth Society for Agricultural Engineering (VDI-MEG). The VDI-MEG is a technical division of the Association of German Engineers (VDI, 130’000 members, 42 departments). Volunteer experts actively participate in conferences, guidelines, the promotion of young talent, and the development of future research fields that fall within the scope of VDI-MEG “Social challenges and sustainability thinking that influence existing work processes and procedures and give rise to new ones”. For more information, please visit: VDI-Fachbereich Max-Eyth-Gesellschaft Agrartechnik | VDI
To remember
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Date
7-10 July 2026 -
Submission
From 10 June 2025 to 29 August 2025 -
Contact
to contact us by mail -
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Local organisers
Zenebe Uraguchi
Professor of Development Economics
Bern University of Applied Sciences School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (BFH-HAFL) – Switzerland
Simon Diener
Researcher in Rural Sociology
Bern University of Applied Sciences School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (BFH-HAFL) – Switzerland
Sandra Contzen
Professor for Rural Sociology
Bern University of Applied Sciences School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (BFH-HAFL) – Board of IAWA – Switzerland
BFH-HAFL Campus
The symposium will take place at the BFH-HAFL campus in Zollikofen – an inspiring location surrounded by fields and forests, with stunning views of the Alps. It's the perfect setting to reflect on current and future challenges of work in agriculture.
Getting there by public transport:
We recommend traveling by train. From Bern, the S8 train to Jegenstorf runs every 15 minutes. Get off at Oberzollikofen, walk through the underpass, and follow the signs to BFH-HAFL. The walk takes approximately 10 minutes.
During peak hours, you can also take the Bus No. 41 (Breitenrain–Zollikofen) from Oberzollikofen directly to the "Rütti-Hochschule" stop, which is located right in front of the campus.
Route map: https://www.bfh.ch/dam/jcr:f26c286b-4e4d-4f44-9f4cef41a9ad9b53/anfahrtsplan-hafl.pdf
Adress
BFH-HAFL
Länggasse 85
3052 Zollikofen
Discover Bern
Switzerland’s capital city may be small, but it offers a remarkable blend of culture, history, and nature. With its well-preserved Old Town – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 – distinctive sandstone buildings, and the scenic Aare River winding around the city center, Bern invites you to slow down and explore. Surrounded by hills, forests, and green spaces, the city offers a peaceful yet inspiring atmosphere.
Accommodation tips for a range of preferences and budgets will be provided when registration opens.