Between 1 and 3 June, Católica Porto Business School hosted the 16th EDSI Annual Conference, one of Europe’s leading conferences in the fields of decision sciences, management and operations, bringing researchers, academics and international experts to Porto to discuss the challenges shaping the future of global supply chains.
Organised through CEGE – Research Centre in Management and Economics, the 2026 edition took place under the theme “Human-Centric and AI-Enabled Supply Chains”, bringing together academic and applied contributions on sustainability, artificial intelligence, resilience, human rights and supply chain governance, in a global context marked by increasing economic, technological and regulatory complexity.
Over the course of three days, Católica Porto Business School welcomed participants from different geographies for a programme that included scientific sessions, keynote speakers, a doctoral workshop, and networking and knowledge-sharing moments, promoting dialogue between academic research and the practical challenges faced by organisations.
The conference was jointly co-chaired by Božidar Vlačić, professor at Católica Porto Business School and scientific coordinator of CEGE, and chaired by Maria Alice Trindade, CEGE FCT Tenure researcher, further strengthening the School’s connection to international research networks and reinforcing its position as a platform for discussion on the major challenges of contemporary management.
“Hosting EDSI 2026 at Católica Porto Business School was a unique opportunity to bring to Porto an international community of researchers and professionals committed to building more resilient, sustainable and human-centred supply chains. The success of this edition reflects not only the scientific quality of the conference, but also our School’s ability to build bridges between research, practice and real organisational impact,” highlighted Božidar Vlačić.
For Maria Alice Trindade, the success of the conference was also the result of a collective effort. In a reflection shared following the closing of the event, the academic highlighted the importance of trust, collaboration and teamwork in delivering the initiative, recognising the contribution of the many people working “behind the scenes” to make the conference possible.
Hosting EDSI 2026 in Porto further reinforced the international dimension of Católica Porto Business School and CEGE, positioning the School as a meeting point between academia and business practice at a time when the challenges surrounding supply chain transformation are becoming increasingly relevant on a global scale.
