From June 23 to 25, 2026, the 13th International Conference on Population Geographies (ICPG 2026) was held at Nanjing University. Jointly hosted by NJU and the Geographical Society of China and organized by the School of Geography and Ocean Science at NJU, the conference was themed "Population Geographies in an Era of Demographic Transition." It brought together more than 400 scholars from five continents to discuss cutting-edge issues in population geography and explore new theories, methods, and practices for the discipline amid global demographic transition.

On the morning of June 24, the opening ceremony was held at Nanjing University's Xianlin Campus. Addresses were delivered by Professor Chen Yunsong, Deputy Chair of the NJU CPC Council and Conference Co-Chair; Wang Dai, Executive Council Member and Executive Secretary-General of the Geographical Society of China; and Professor Darren Smith of Loughborough University, Chair of the ICPG International Organizing Committee. The ceremony was chaired by Professor Lu Huayu of the School of Geography and Ocean Science at NJU, Vice President of the Geographical Society of China and Conference Co-Chair. Research Professor Zhang Guoyou, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Geographical Society of China, attended the ceremony.

Professor Chen Yunsong delivers remarks.

Wang Dai delivers remarks.

Professor Darren Smith delivers remarks.

Professor Lu Huayu chairs the opening ceremony.

Following the opening ceremony, Professor Anthony G. O. Yeh of the University of Hong Kong, a Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a keynote address on "Planning and Managing Urban Mobility in an Era of Demographic Transition." Professor Mei-Po Kwan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, a Foreign Fellow of the Geographical Society of China, presented her latest research on human mobility, geospatial artificial intelligence, and health. Professor Lily Kong, President of Singapore Management University and a Foreign Fellow of the Geographical Society of China, offered a systematic analysis of Singapore's governance experience in responding to population ageing. Professor Ding Jinhong of East China Normal University, former Chair of the Population Geography Committee of the Geographical Society of China, examined "hukou-seeking migration" and analytical paradigms for China's floating population. Associate Professor Elin Charles-Edwards of the University of Queensland, President of the Australian Population Association, discussed the intersections between the "Mobility Continuum" and population geography. Professor Stewart Fotheringham of Florida State University, a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, explained how place shapes human behavior from a spatial data science perspective. Professor Cindy Fan, Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement at the University of California, Los Angeles, shared insights into fertility decline and social change in China. Professor Helen Bao of the University of Cambridge and Assistant Professor Hengyu Gu of NJU presented their respective research on the geography of housing demand and the transition of human capital. The keynote sessions were chaired in turn by Professor Zhu Yu, Chair of the Population Geography Committee of the Geographical Society of China; Professor He Canfei, Vice President of the Geographical Society of China; and Professor Liu Yungang, Vice President of the Geographical Society of China.

Professor Anthony G. O. Yeh of the University of Hong Kong, Academician of the CAS, delivers a keynote address.

Professor Mei-Po Kwan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), delivers a keynote address.

Professor Lily Kong of Singapore Management University delivers a keynote address.

Professor Ding Jinhong of East China Normal University delivers a keynote address.

Associate Professor Elin Charles-Edwards of the University of Queensland delivers a keynote address.

Professor Stewart Fotheringham of Florida State University, Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, delivers a keynote address.

Professor Cindy Fan of the University of California, Los Angeles, delivers a keynote address.

Assistant Professor Hengyu Gu of NJU delivers a keynote address.

Professor Zhu Yu, Chair of the Population Geography Committee of the Geographical Society of China, chairs a keynote session.

Professor He Canfei, Vice President of the Geographical Society of China, chairs a keynote session.

Professor Liu Yungang, Vice President of the Geographical Society of China, chairs a keynote session.

On the afternoon of June 24, a keynote roundtable moderated by Professor Darren Smith brought together six scholars: Professor Chen Wen of the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Professor Zhen Feng of Nanjing University; Professor Long Hualou of Guangxi University; Professor Shen Jianfa of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Professor Clive Sabel of NJU; and Professor Messay Mulugeta of Addis Ababa University. They engaged in an in-depth discussion on "Global Demographic Transition and Sustainable Development" and "Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Population Geography."

Keynote roundtable

On June 25, the conference moved into its parallel-session program, with 32 sessions held concurrently. Topics covered a wide range of cutting-edge areas, including gender and migration, AI-enabled modeling of population mobility, population health risks, urban–rural integration, urban shrinkage and regional restructuring, ageing and age-friendly cities, and talent migration and innovation-driven development. A special session on "Population and Development in Africa" highlighted the conference's global perspective and regional concern. Scholars from around the world presented a rich array of research, generating lively discussion, while the poster session provided an important platform for early-career researchers to showcase their work and exchange ideas.

Scenes from selected parallel sessions

The inaugural International Conference on Population Geographies was held in St Andrews, United Kingdom, in 2002. Subsequent conferences were successfully convened in Liverpool, Hong Kong, Hanover, Umeå, Groningen, Brisbane, Seattle, Loughborough, Tokyo (online), and Belfast. ICPG has since developed into one of the most influential international academic forums in population geography. The 2026 conference marked the first time ICPG had been held in mainland China and attracted the largest number of participants in the conference series to date. Its strong academic program, broad thematic coverage, and high-quality organization and services received strong praise from participants. The conference showcased the latest achievements and growing international influence of population geography research in China. Exchanges among scholars from different countries, regions, and disciplinary backgrounds further strengthened collaboration between Chinese and international population geography communities.