What to Expect at GloCon 2026

The 1st Global Convening on Informal and Shared Mobility brings together researchers, academia, operators, workers and laborers, small businesses, entrepreneurs, technologists, advocates, public officials, non-profits, and the private sector. It will be a global milestone in efforts to advance global knowledge, policy, innovation and collaboration on Informal and Shared Mobility (ISM) systems.

Program at a Glance

There will be 400+ participants at the main conference. The agenda will focus on the integrated connections between research, policy, and practice. Speakers and panelists will represent labor, government, private sector, research, and the international climate and development community.
The ISM Graduate Research Academy, hosted by PRISM and CUTI, will precede the Convening and is an intensive, immersive program that offers training, mentorship, and peer exchange for researchers committed to advancing inclusive and sustainable mobility in the Global South. (Participation is by invitation only.)
Sunday and Thursday, October 25 and 29, 2026 are dedicated to self-organized independent side events and roundtables. Partners and sponsors can host their own focused discussions, gatherings, or receptions.
The Convening issued a joint call for academic papers. Selected papers will present at the main conference and will be considered for publication in a special joint issue of three leading transportation journals: Asian Transport Studies (ATS); African Transport Studies (AFTRAN); and Latin American Transport Studies (LATS).

Main Conference Agenda

All sessions subject to change, detailed schedule to follow

GloCon 2026 AgendaDay 01
Monday, 26 October 2026
8:00 AM
Registration & Sign-In
8:30 AM
Plenary30 min
Opening & Welcome
Henrik Nolmark (VREF) · Jackie Klopp (PRISM) · Prof. Wilert Puriwat, President, Chulalongkorn University · Benjamin de la Peña (SUMC)
9:15 AM
Key Conversation 160 min
The Value and Values of ISM
Sector Greetings: Carly Gilbert-Patrick · Mod: Holger Dalkmann
10:15 AM
Key Conversation 260 min
ISM Research and ISM Policy in Dialogue
Mod: Felipe Ramirez (WRI)
11:15 AM
Coffee Break
11:30 AM
Breakout Sessions A75 min
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Track 1
ISM and Decarbonization
Track 2
Operators & Workers Roundtable
Track 3
Kuhne Workshop on Popular Transport of Goods
Track 4
C40 Workshop (Closed)
Track 5
Vulnerabilities, Gender and ISM
12:45 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM
Breakout Sessions B90 min
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Track 1
Adaptation, Resilience and ISM
Track 2
Labor and ISM
Track 3
Finance, Business Models and Operation in ISM
Track 4
Governance, Political Economy and ISM
Track 5
ISM, Public Health and Safety
3:30 PM
Coffee Break & Research Posters Session
5:00 PM
Social120 min
Reception & Inspirational Keynote
Kalpana Viswanath
Day 02
Tuesday, 27 October 2026
8:00 AM
Breakfast
9:00 AM
Key Conversation 360 min
Plug and Play: Moving and Integrating ISM and Institutional Public Transport
Sector Greetings: Felipe Ramirez (WRI)
10:00 AM
Key Conversation 460 min
Débrouillards: Innovation, Tech and Infrastructure for ISM
Mod: Tom Courtright
11:00 AM
Coffee Break
11:15 AM
Key Conversation 560 min
Show Me the Money: Financing ISM for Sustainability and Resilience
Sector Greetings: Alana Dave (ITwF) · Mod: Bianca Macedo (C40 Cities)
12:30 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM
Breakout Sessions C90 min
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Track 1
AFD Session
Track 2
Labor, Digitization, Platformization and Governance
Track 3
Value of ISM as Part of Multi-Modal Transport Systems
Track 4
Governance, Political Economy and ISM
Track 5
ISM Declaration Breakout Session
3:30 PM
Coffee Break
3:30 PM
Workshops & Site Visits120–180 min
Workshops & Optional Site Visits
Evening
Dinner on Your Own
Day 03
Wednesday, 28 October 2026
8:00 AM
Breakfast
9:00 AM
Plenary30 min
Morning Welcome
9:30 AM
Breakout Sessions D90 min
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Track 1
Barriers and Opportunities for the Electrification of Popular Transport
Track 2
Labor, Digitization, Platformization and Governance
Track 3
Value of ISM as Part of Multi-Modal Transport Systems
Track 4
Walking and ISM
11:00 AM
Coffee Break
11:15 AM
Plenary15 min
ISM Declaration
11:30 AM
Closing Conversation90 min
ISM Theory and Praxis
What We Know, What We Still Need to Know
Mod: Jackie Klopp
1:15 PM
Plenary30 min
Closing Keynote
Sheela Patel, SPARC and SDI
End of Conference