EAI General Assembly 2026

14th-15th October 2026

The 8th General Assembly of the European Astrobiology Institute will take place from Wednesday 14th to  Thursday 15th October 2025 at Hotel Beaucour, Strasbourg, France.

The General Assembly is open to all interested scientists and students. 

Access and Venue

The EAI General Assembly will take place in Hotel Beaucour, in the heart of Strasbourg, France.

Access from the Strasbourg railway station to the venue

Take the underground line A or D Direction Illkirch-Graefenstetten, Kehl Rathaus or Port--du-Rhin) to the station Porte del’ Hôpital (4 stops): Walk 20 m in the direction of the train and turn left into Rue des Bouchers. You see the hotel on your right after 100 metres.

Access to Strasbourg

By Air

Strasbourg has an own airport (IATA code SXB). It is located at Entzheim, 15 km from the city centre. There are frequent shuttle trains from the airport to Strasbourg main station. Information about the Shuttle service can be found here, or at the website of SNCF and the German Railway server. There are some direct connections from Strasbourg Airport to European cites, but generally the airport is used by politicians,  leading to fairly high prices (exceptions exist).

A low-price alternative is the airport Karlsruhe Baden Baden (IATA code FKB). Cheap carriers fly there. Bus connections to the railway stations of Bühl, Rastatt and Baden-Baden, from where you can take local express trains to Strasbourg via Appenweier (please note that there is a 200 m walk between the platform the train arrives from Bühl, Rastatt and Baden-Baden at Appenweier and the platform of the train departing to Strasbourg, follow the signs at the station). See www.bahn.de for connections.

One can also arrive at Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Euro-airport: (IATA code BSL). From the French arrival zone, there is a direct shuttle (bus number 11) to St. Louis railway station. From there you can take the TER train to Strasbourg main station (see the website of SNCF).

Strasbourg is also linked by high speed trains to the Frankfurt International Airport (IATA code FRA).  Travel time 2 hours 30 minutes There are also direct TGV connections to Paris CDG airport every 2 hours roughly (travel time 2-2h30).

The Programme

The programme will consist of:

  • 1.5 days of scientific sessions with talks on the following themes:
    • Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems and Detection of Habitable Worlds
    • The Pathway to Complexity: From Simple Molecules to First Life
    • Planetary Environments and Habitability
    • Evolution and Traces of Early Life and Life under Extreme Conditions
    • Biosignatures and the Detection of Life beyond Earth
    • Historical, Philosophical, Societal and Ethical Issues in Astrobiology
    • Special session: Mars and Venus: Two unlike neighbours
  • Presentation and open discussions of the plans of the different Working Groups
  • The business meeting of the EAI on Thursday afternoon

Talks and Abstract Submission

Talks for the different sessions will be 25 minutes plus 5 minutes of discussion. If you want to give a talk, please submit an abstract using the abstract form available at the links as a .doc and .pdf file and send them to the EAI Chair, Wolf Geppert (wgeppert@fysik.su.se) no later than 31 August 2026.

Candidates for the Chair, Vice-chairs and MC Members

At the General Assembly we have to elect a new Chair, Vice-Chair and MC members. If you want to stand for one of those functions, please send a motivation letter (1-2 A4 pages, Times New Roman 12 points font size containing

  • Your scientific background
  • Your experiences in leadership functions on institutional, national and European level
  • Your plans for the position in case you are elected
  • A link to a publication list 8can be ResearchGate, Google scholar or something similar)

to the EAI Chair, Wolf Geppert (wgeppert@fysik.su.se) no later than 30 September 2026. You can stand for more than one function.

Accommodation

EAI made block bookings at the following hotels and hostels:

Hotel Origami****

Credit: Hotel Origami

Very new and modern hotel one underground station away from main railway station. Individually decorated cosy rooms. Free Wifi. Single rooms EUR 100,- shared double rooms EUR 65,- excl. breakfast. Address: 16 rue du Bataillon de Marche 24, 67200 Strasbourg – FRANCE, phone +33 3 88 22 02 02, email: contact@hotel-origami.com, website: https://www.hotel-origami.com/en/. The hotel can be booked via the registration page and accommodation will be paid via the European Astrobiology Institute.

Please note that

  • signing up for a room at the registration form constitutes a hotel booking
  • cancellation fees up of 100% of the booking will be charged in case of cancellation after 10 September or no-show
  • places will have to be paid via PayPal (see instructions at this site) until 10th September at the latest

Hotel Beaucour****

Credit: Hotel Beaucour

Very nice boutique hotel in ahistoric house close to the historic centre of Strasbourg and Little Venice. Address: 16 rue du Bataillon de Marche 24, 67200 Strasbourg – FRANCE, phone +33 3 88 22 02 02, email: contact@hotel-origami.com, website: https://www.hotel-origami.com/en/. Rates:

- 138€ per single standard room

148€ per single comfort room

158€ per single charm room

168€ per double charm room

198€ per double Junior Suite room

 

Please note that the number of single standard rooms is limited. Payment of the rooms will be on the site by the participant.

Adress: 5, rue des Bouchers, 67000 STRASBOURG – France, phone: T. +33(0)3 88 76 72 00, email:  info@hotel-beaucour.com, website: www.hotel-beaucour.com.

Please note that

  • signing up for a room at the registration form constitutes a hotel booking
  • cancellation fees up o 100% of the booking will be charged in case of cancellation after 10 September or no-show
  • rooms will have to be paid at the hotel during your stay

 

Hostel "The People"

Credit: The People Strasbourg

Very modern well-equipped hostel in very short walking distance from the Old City in Strasbourg, Accommodation in 4-bedded rooms with

  • High-speed Wifi
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom, hairdryer, WC
  • TV set
  • 1 towel per person
  • Safety locker

Price: EUR 50,- per night and bed. Address: 7 Rue de la Krutenau, 67000 Strasbourg, Phone ++33(0)9 78 36 20 27. Website: https://www.thepeoplehostel.com/en/destinations/strasbourg/

Please note that registration for a hotel room constitutes a hotel booking. Cancellation fees up to 100% of the booking will be charged in case of cancellation after 10 September or no-show.

Please note that

  • signing up for a room at the registration form constitutes a hotel booking
  • cancellation fees up of 100% of the booking will be charged in case of cancellation after 10 September or no-show
  • places will have to be paid via PayPal until 10th September at the latest

Registration

There is no registration fee charged for members of EAI institutions. Students and early career scientists (below the age of 40 years)  form other entities pay EUR 50,-, senior scientists and other participants (above the age of 40) EUR 100,-

Please fill in the registration form (to be downloaded as a .doc or .pdf  form) and send it to the EAI Chair, Wolf Geppert (wgeppert@fysik.su.se) no later than 10 September 2026. After this time registration is still possible but accommodation cannot be guaranteed any longer. Also, registration fees will not be refunded after September 10th in case of cancellations.

€100

Hotel Origami-Single Room
Price per night per person

Arrival & Departure Dates

€65

Hotel Origami-Shared Double Room
Price per night per person

Arrival & Departure Dates

€50

The People Hostel-Shared 4-bed Room
Price per night per person

Arrival & Departure Dates

€50

Registration fee for non-EAI members (students and early career scientists under the age of 40)

€100

Registration fee for non-EAI members (senior scientists and other participants above the age of 40)