During July 14-17, 2026, Iscte hosted the third sector research community for the 17th International Conference of the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR), held under the theme Portugal’s Third Sector at a Crossroads: Tradition, Innovation and Public Value.

BRU-Iscte was part of the organisation (researchers Ana Simaens and Vanessa Oliveira), together with CIES-Iscte and the Iscte Business School.

With over 700 delegates, the event brought together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world to share insights on civil society, nonprofit management, social innovation, philanthropy, and public value creation, through papers, panels, posters, and case study discussions.