WELCOME

The European Lean Educator Conference (ELEC) is an annual event that brings together educators, researchers, and industry professionals committed to advancing Lean thinking and Operational Excellence across Europe and beyond. The 12th European Lean Educator Conference (ELEC 2026) will be hosted by the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), Portugal — an institution recognised for its strong engagement in applied research, innovation, and collaboration with industry.

Since its inception, ELEC has evolved into a leading European platform for sharing best practices, research insights, and educational strategies that foster Lean learning, continuous improvement, and sustainable transformation. Each year, the conference gathers a vibrant community of participants from academia, industry, and the public sector to exchange knowledge, strengthen networks, and shape the future of Lean education and practice.

Over the past decade, the European Lean Educator Conference has been hosted by renowned institutions across Europe, including:

• ELEC 2019 – Politecnico di Milano, Italy (November 11–13)

• ELEC 2021 – SINTEF Manufacturing, Trondheim, Norway (October 25–27) – Online edition due to COVID-19 restrictions

• ELEC 2022 – University of Galway, Ireland (November 22–24)

• ELEC 2023 – Avans University of Applied Sciences, ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands (October 24–26)

• ELEC 2024 – Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany (September 25-27) 

• ELEC 2025 – Rzeszów University of Technology, Poland (October 22–24)

Building on this strong tradition, the 12th ELEC will take place in Porto, Portugal, and will explore the theme “Lean Thinking for a Sustainable and Human-Centered Digital Future.” The conference will highlight how Lean principles can guide the transition toward Industry 5.0, where technology, sustainability, and human factors coexist in balance.

ELEC 2026 will emphasize how Lean, integrated with digital enablers such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems, and data-driven decision-making, can foster innovation, resilience, and value creation across multiple sectors — from manufacturing to services, healthcare, and education.

The event aims to attract academics, practitioners, and policy-makers interested in Lean education, research, and application, promoting cross-sector collaboration and the co-creation of knowledge. By strengthening the bridge between universities, research institutes, and enterprises, ELEC 2026 seeks to inspire the next generation of Lean leaders and to shape a sustainable, intelligent, and human-centric future for organizations and society.