Conference
The New Generation in Strategic Culture Research – STRAX Final Conference
Helsinki, Finland | 10–12 June 2026
The STRAX research project held its final conference, The New Generation in Strategic Culture Research, at Botta Events Helsinki on 10–12 June 2026. The conference marked a successful and inspiring conclusion to the project, bringing together key scholars and the new generation of strategic culture students and researchers to discuss the future of strategic culture studies and Europe’s changing security environment.
Across three days, the programme included many discussions and debates demonstrating the continued and increasing value of strategic culture research in analysing uncertainty, change, and cooperation in Europe and beyond. The conference featured plenary and parallel panel sessions, a poster session, a public seminar, the presentation of the STRAX European Manual on Strategic Culture, and a final brainstorming workshop organised in cooperation with the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
Key speakers included Nathalie Tocci, Sven Biscop, Fergal Ó Regan, Mai’a Davis Cross, Christoph Meyer, Olivier de France, Barbara Kunz, Tamir Libel, Lars Schümann, Jyri Raitasalo, and Christian Perheentupa. Their contributions addressed strategic culture, strategic learning, European security, transatlantic relations, military education, strategic autonomy and the future direction of the field.
The conference gathered 48 participants from across Europe and beyond, with 95 attendees joining the public seminar. Participants came from Finland, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Denmark, Israel, Turkey, Austria, the United States, among others. This international participation reflected the wide relevance of strategic culture research and helped strengthen the networks developed through STRAX — the “STRAX family”.
The STRAX project warmly thanks all speakers, chairs, presenters, poster contributors, partners, organisers and participants for their valuable contributions and for making the final conference a thoughtful, productive and memorable closing event.
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