The event is built on a fully balanced partnership between a nationally influential media outlet, a capital region, a department driving innovation, and an intermunicipal authority at the heart of the scientific ecosystem. Together, the weekly magazine Le Point, the Île-de-France Region, the Essonne Department, and the Paris-Saclay Urban Community share the ambition of promoting science on a broad scale. A benchmark territory for research and innovation in Europe, recognized for its exceptional concentration of laboratories, higher education institutions, and high-tech companies, Paris-Saclay stands at the core of the project.
A Third Edition Reaching a New Scale
For its third edition, the Paris-Saclay Summit is reaching a new milestone. The pace of enrollments has significantly increased compared to 2025, confirming the appeal of a free event open to all, where the general public can engage directly with researchers. More than 130 international scientists from around twenty nationalities will lead over 80 conferences, round tables, and keynote interviews.This growth is accompanied by a strong signal: gender parity. The 2026 edition achieves an unprecedented balance between women and men, both among speakers and in the audience, echoing dedicated sessions on the role of women in science and technology.
A Program of Excellence and High-Level Debate
True to its DNA, the Paris-Saclay Summit offers a program of excellence, bringing together some of the world’s leading scientific voices around the same table to debate the major challenges of the 21st century: artificial intelligence, quantum science, climate, health, astrophysics, ecological transition, as well as the humanities and social sciences.Among the highlights, the summit will welcome paleoclimatologist Michael E. Mann for a keynote address on climate denial and response strategies, as well as Nobel Prize laureate in Physics Didier Queloz for a major interview on the search for exoplanets and the discovery of new worlds.
The event will also gather other renowned scientists, including mathematicians Ken Ono and Stéphane Mallat, and climatologists Valérie Masson-Delmotte and Jean Jouzel.
Flagship conferences will explore the quantum revolution, the future of the Hippocratic Oath in the age of algorithms, new therapeutic approaches, the promises and limits of artificial intelligence, as well as the impact of screens on children and brain motivation.
All sessions are moderated by specialized journalists, ensuring rigorous, accessible, and uncompromising discussions. The Paris-Saclay Summit is a privileged forum where science is debated at the level of society, within a demanding, dynamic, and open framework.
A Stronger European Dimension
In a context shaped by Mario Draghi’s work on European competitiveness and the preparation of the next research and innovation framework program, the Paris-Saclay Summit 2026 dedicates an entire section to scientific cooperation in Europe. A dedicated space will bring together scientists, institutional leaders, policymakers, and business stakeholders to address issues of scientific sovereignty, breakthrough technologies, competitiveness, and European identity.The summit will welcome a growing number of speakers and delegations from several European countries, including a Berlin delegation led by Ina Czyborra, Senator for Science and Health in the Berlin Senate.
A Summit for Middle and High School Students, and University Students
The Paris-Saclay Summit 2026 is also designed for younger generations. As part of the “Research in Sneakers” program, middle and high school students from the Île-de-France region are invited to discover science through workshops, site visits, and meetings with doctoral candidates and research professionals.Approximately 200 middle school students from Essonne will participate in scientific workshops at the Orsay University Institute of Technology (IUT) and at the Danone Global Research & Innovation Center, while others will visit the SOLEIL synchrotron and cutting-edge campus facilities. Six high school classes will be welcomed at CentraleSupélec to meet doctoral researchers and explore the scientific method through hands-on workshops in two research laboratories (Process and Materials Engineering Laboratory / LGPM – CentraleSupélec/Université Paris-Saclay, and the Molecular and Macroscopic Energetics, Combustion Laboratory / EM2C – CNRS).
University students will also benefit from dedicated formats—conferences, workshops, and networking sessions—enabling them to address major transitions (climate, energy, digital technology, health, mobility, food systems) through direct interaction with scientists and business leaders.
Choosing Science, from Paris-Saclay
At the crossroads of fundamental research, innovation, public policy, and science communication, the Paris-Saclay Summit 2026 delivers a clear message: to prepare for the future, we must choose science—and do so from the territories that advance it every day.Program link