Registrations are now open for the Lifelong Guidance 5.0 Conference 2026, taking place on 23–24 March 2026 at VHS Wiener Urania in Vienna, Austria. Titled “Lifelong Changes: Transformations in Career Guidance and Counselling”, the conference will bring together guidance professionals, educators, researchers and policymakers from across Europe to discuss how career guidance and counselling is evolving in response to digital, social and labour market change. The conference will be held in German and English.
A Conference on Navigating Change in Guidance Systems
Rapid technological innovation, shifting labour markets and broader societal developments are transforming how guidance services support individuals throughout their lives. A key challenge is to ensure that these changes benefit everyone, particularly people in vulnerable situations, and to combat widening existing inequalities.
As a project dedicated to strengthening lifelong career guidance and counselling through digital and hybrid approaches, this conference is organized as a space for reflection, exchange and practical learning. The event will explore how guidance services can adapt to ongoing transformations, and how digital tools can complement, rather than replace, personal guidance.
Programme Highlights
The conference programme features a keynote by Dr Britta Matthes from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), titled “Career Guidance and Counselling: How Is the Professional Field Changing Through Digitalisation?” Drawing on her work within the Occupations in Transformation research group, Dr Matthes will examine how digitalisation is reshaping counselling professions by addressing automation, efficiency gains and the limits of digital tools in replacing human guidance. A panel discussion will bring together policymakers and experts from chambers of commerce, labour market research and labour institutions. This session will focus on the implications of social and labour market transformations for counselling services, the challenges faced by different target groups, and policy responses to support those most at risk of exclusion.
Participants can also choose from a wide range of sessions offered in English and German, covering topics such as digital guidance methods, competence validation, company-based guidance approaches, and outreach strategies for both young people and adults.
Registration and Practical Information
- Dates: 23–24 March 2026
- Venue: VHS Wiener Urania, Uraniastraße 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria
- Registration
- Accessibility & venue information
Please note: Registration will only be confirmed once participants receive a personalised confirmation email.
Vienna Urania Observatory Visit
To conclude the first conference day, participants may join a guided visit to the Vienna Urania Observatory, Austria’s oldest public observatory. Even in the centre of the city, the observatory allows for celestial observation of planets and galaxies using a modern automatic telescope.