THE PMF26 PROGRAM IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, STAY TUNED !
PMF26 PROGRAM | APRIL 15, 16 & 17
WEDNESDAY,
APRIL 15TH
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
EDUCTOUR | REGISTRATION REQUIRED*
1 – Guided tour of the streets of Aix-en-Provence｜Registration via annie.delanghe@univ-amu.fr and sarah.djalal@univ-amu.fr
THURSDAY,
APRIL 16TH
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM | Official Opening of #PMF26 Edition & ICE BREAKER SESSION
Welcome coffee organized for participants at the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud – 380 avenue Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
09:15 - 10:00 AM |
Official opening of #PMF24 & ICE BREAKER SESSION
An Ice Breaker session will be organized at the beginning of the day. This will give all participants the opportunity to interact, get to know each other, and better understand the topics to be discussed during the conferences.
10:30 AM – 10:30 AM | Overview of the PMF26 Program & INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST PLENARY SESSION
CONFERENCES
10:30 AM – 12:45 PM | PLENARY CONFERENCE | BUSINESSES AND REGENERATIVE APPROACHES
more to come
- Lunch break
THINK TANKS
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | CHOICE OF PARTICIPANTS: 2 SIMULTANEOUS THINK TANKS
1- "Governance and Partnerships in Attractiveness Strategies": Housing stakeholders as key partners in territorial attractiveness strategies, working together to find short-, medium-, and long-term solutions.
Available in french and english.
French residents’ preferences regarding the size of the territories where they wish to live have remained relatively stable. According to IMAGETERR®24, only 17% prefer large cities, while 83% favor medium-sized towns, small towns, or villages.
This desire to live in smaller towns and less urbanized environments—driven by a search for tranquility, nature, and safety—often runs into a major barrier: the difficulty of finding suitable housing. Many of these newly attractive territories offer appealing job opportunities but lack the housing capacity to accommodate newcomers eager to start a new chapter in their lives. This gap can be explained, in part, by a mismatch between local real estate markets and these evolving expectations.
This think tank session will highlight various initiatives in France and internationally aimed at reducing the gap between housing supply and demand. We will showcase innovative solutions implemented by local authorities or housing operators, such as:
Dedicated housing for temporary newcomers,
Renovation of vacant homes or office spaces,
Intergenerational housing,
Co-housing initiatives,
Solidarity-based real estate leases,
Mixed-use leases, and more.
2- Think Tank "Health, Sustainability & Well-being" ⚠ World Café workshop limited to 40 participants
Available in french only.
Health: How Can It Become a Driver of Territorial Attractiveness?
According to the latest studies and statistics from the Ministry of Health and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses, 2022), 95% of adults are exposed to health risks due to a lack of physical activity or high levels of sedentary behavior.
What types of actions are territories implementing to combat this reality? How can they build upon existing initiatives and/or leverage their geographical specificities to position “health” as a key element of their attractiveness strategy?
This think tank will take place in an interactive format, following the World Café model, and will explore four key themes.
- Coffee break
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM | CCONFERENCE ON BUSINESSES AND TERRITORIAL TOURISM / EMPLOYER BRANDING
What motivates students to choose a particular territory for their studies? What levers can territories activate to improve student attraction and hospitality? And how can they foster long-term student integration within the local area?
Available in french and english.
more to come
5:30 PM | End of the first day of conferences and think tanks at #PMF26
7:30 PM – 11:00 PM | Networking Evening – Stade Maurice David – Presidential Lounge
Located in the heart of Aix-en-Provence’s sports district, Stade Maurice David offers easy access and a pleasant setting that blends urban energy with the spirit of rugby. Home to the professional club Provence Rugby, it embodies values of sharing, commitment, and conviviality, making it an ideal venue for an evening dedicated to discussion, networking, and collective experience.
The exceptional setting of the museum, including its cloister and historic architecture, provides a unique immersion into Reims’ cultural and religious heritage. Visitors can admire remarkable objects such as mosaics, sculptures, stained glass windows, and ancient manuscripts. It is an ideal place to delve into the city’s history and explore the deep roots of the Champagne region.
An awards ceremony will be held following the participants’ votes. The “Audience Choice Award,” the “Young Talents Award,” and the “Host Territory Award” will be presented to the cases showcased during the conferences on the first day.
FRIDAY,
APRIL 17TH
08:30 - 09:00 |
Coffee reception for participants and networking at the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud
Welcome coffee organized for participants at the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud – 380 avenue Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
CONFERENCE
09:00 - 10:30 |
CONFERENCE ON BUSINESSES AND TERRITORIAL TRANSFORMATION: MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Available in french and english.
more to come
THINK TANKS
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM |
CHOICE OF PARTICIPANTS: 2 SIMULTANEOUS THINK TANKS
1- Major Events and MICE: What actions can territories implement to strengthen and optimize the reception and co-organization of global-scale scientific or academic events?
Available in french and english.
French territories can play a key role in global scientific influence by combining their strengths in higher education and scientific fields with targeted strategies. By bringing together local ecosystems, they can not only attract more prestigious conferences but also reinforce France’s position as a global leader in academia, science, and research.
This was the case for the city of Toulouse, which in 2024 was chosen among other European cities to host the largest higher education conference in Europe, the EIAE. This event brought together over 7,300 professionals from more than 110 countries, all within the Toulouse area.
How can professionals in territorial attractiveness engage local stakeholders (universities, PCOs, convention bureaus, local authorities, state representatives, etc.) to optimize the place of France and its territories in hosting globally significant events? What types of support can they offer?
This think tank will present various initiatives in France and internationally, supported by feedback from key players in event organization, including Toulouse Team and Hello Lille.
2- IMAGETERR®24 Results and the Evolution of the Territorial Marketer Profession
Available in french only.
The Chair of Attractiveness and new Territorial Marketing has been conducting a biennial image and perception study of territories since 2017. In 2024, this study surveyed 3,202 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over. IMAGETERR® seeks to understand, on one hand, the mental images of the French regarding ideal residential attractiveness territories. On the other hand, it also explores spontaneous and directed images, as well as behavioral intentions associated with specific French territories (cities, metropolitan areas, departments, and regions), and the foundations of their reputation.
We will present the overall results of Imageterr®2024, particularly on central questions such as: What cities or regions would you ideally like to live in? In what type of territory would you like to live (a small town, a medium-sized city, etc.)? What are your main selection criteria? These are all questions that the French might ask themselves when considering residential mobility or a change in their professional or personal life.
In connection with the evolution of these results since 2017, especially regarding residential attractiveness, we will discuss the evolution of the role of Responsable d’attractivité territoriale (Territorial Attractiveness Manager) and/or marketer territorial (territorial marketer). What are the responsibilities of this role? How has the profession evolved in a constantly changing societal, environmental, and political context? These discussions will provide a foundation for a future study on the evolution of professions related to territorial attractiveness.
12h - 12H30 | Closing of the Conference - Crossed Views
Available in french and english.
Conclusion of the discussions! Crossed perspectives on the various themes addressed during this 2026 edition.
- Lunch break