Experience the scientific insights, technological advances and policy perspectives that are redefining citizen-centered disaster preparedness.
2026.09.24-25.
HUN-REN SZTAKI, Budapest, Kende u. 13-17, 1111
Dear Visitor,
We are pleased to invite you to the B-prepared Final Conference.
Over the past years, the B-prepared consortium has worked to strengthen citizen disaster preparedness through innovative digital solutions, immersive technologies and community-based validation activities. The Final Conference marks the culmination of this journey and offers a unique opportunity to explore the project’s key results, lessons learned and future pathways.
The two-day programme will bring together policymakers, researchers, practitioners and technology developers to discuss how citizen engagement and digital tools can enhance disaster resilience across Europe. Participants are invited to contribute to the poster session, showcasing their corresponding research results.
We would be honoured by your participation and look forward to welcoming you to this milestone event.
We are pleased to invite fellow researchers and project teams to showcase their work at the poster session. As we bring our consortium’s work on citizen-centered disaster preparedness to its culmination, we recognize the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration and are opening our poster session to external contributions. We welcome submissions that address disaster risk reduction, innovative digital solutions, and community resilience, to present your findings and network with experts from across Europe. If you are interested in contributing, please indicate your intention to present a poster via the link below.
The preliminary agenda is as follows:
| Day 1 - Sep 24, Thursday | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 -9:30 | Registration & Welcome coffee | |
| All day | During all breaks - showcase of VR-prepared in the Lounge | |
| 9:30 - 10:30 | Keynotes - Citizen disaster preparedness | |
| Disaster Risk Reduction - our common goal | TBA | |
| Disaster Resilient Societies in practice | Oliver Seiffarth, CERIS Coordinator, EC | |
| Why B-prepared? | András Majdik, B-prepared Coordinator, SZTAKI | |
| 10:30 - 11:30 | B-prepared in practice I. | |
| B-prepared vision and mission | Zoltán Székely, B-prepared Deputy Coordinator, SFC | |
| Disastropedia | Espen Kon, Disastropedia product owner, EKON CEO | |
| IM-prepared | Zsolt László Márkus, IM-prepared product owner, SZTAKI | |
| 11:30 - 12:45 | LUNCH BREAK | |
| IM-prepared live testing - prerequisite: download the app, go to walk starting point | Anikó Vágvölgyi, B-prepared project manager, SZTAKI | |
| 13:00 - 14:30 | Walk together | |
| Lead/contact: Anikó Vágvölgyi | ||
| 14:30 - 15:00 | COFFEE BREAK | |
| 15:00 - 16:30 | B-prepared in practice II. | |
| VR-prepared | Viktor Veréb, VR-prepared product owner, SFC | |
| RU-prepared | Attila Lengyel, RU-prepared product owner, eduGamiTec | |
| B-prepared Impact and continuation | Zoltán Székely, B-prepared Deputy Coordinator, SFC | |
| 16:30 - 17:00 | Certificate Award Ceremony | |
| 19:00 | Gala dinner | |
| Day 2 - Sep 25, Friday | ||
| Scientific results and technical deep dive | ||
| 8:30 - 9:30 | REGISTRATION & WELCOME COFFEE | |
| 9:30 - 11:30 | DEEP DIVE IN SCIENCE | |
| 9:30 - 9:45 | Physiological measurement of learning in virtual reality | UNIGE |
| 9:45 - 10:00 | Preparing for emergency calls through AI-enabled dialogue systems | UNIBW |
| 10:00 - 10:15 | From Ecosystem Evaluation to School Evacuation Games: Integrated Approaches Within B-Prepared | HVL |
| 10:15 - 10:30 | QoE Optimization for Virtual Reality Gaming and Streaming over Mobile Edge Networks | LIU |
| 10:30 - 11:30 | POSTER SESSION AND COFFEE BREAK | |
| 11:30 - 12:30 | POLICY, STANDARDIZATION, IMPACT | |
| White paper - Insight on disaster preparedness of citizens | András Majdik, B-prepared Coordinator, SZTAKI | |
| Preparedness as the new standard | Zoltán Székely, B-prepared Deputy Coordinator, SFC | |
| Evaluation summary | Attila Lengyel, RU-prepared product owner, eduGamiTec | |
| 13:00 | CLOSING AND FAREWELL | |
| Day 1 - Sep 24, Thursday | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 -9:30 | Registration & Welcome coffee | |
| All day | During all breaks - showcase of VR-prepared in the Lounge | |
| 9:30 - 10:30 | Keynotes - Citizen disaster preparedness | |
| Disaster Risk Reduction - our common goal | TBA | |
| Disaster Resilient Societies in practice | Oliver Seiffarth, CERIS Coordinator, EC | |
| Why B-prepared? | András Majdik, B-prepared Coordinator, SZTAKI | |
| 10:30 - 11:30 | B-prepared in practice I. | |
| B-prepared vision and mission | Zoltán Székely, B-prepared Deputy Coordinator, SFC | |
| Disastropedia | Espen Kon, Disastropedia product owner, EKON CEO | |
| IM-prepared | Zsolt László Márkus, IM-prepared product owner, SZTAKI | |
| 11:30 - 12:45 | LUNCH BREAK | |
| IM-prepared live testing - prerequisite: download the app, go to walk starting point | Anikó Vágvölgyi, B-prepared project manager, SZTAKI | |
| 13:00 - 14:30 | Walk together | |
| Lead/contact: Anikó Vágvölgyi | ||
| 14:30 - 15:00 | COFFEE BREAK | |
| 15:00 - 16:30 | B-prepared in practice II. | |
| VR-prepared | Viktor Veréb, VR-prepared product owner, SFC | |
| RU-prepared | Attila Lengyel, RU-prepared product owner, EduGamiTec | |
| B-prepared Impact and continuation | Zoltán Székely, B-prepared Deputy Coordinator, SFC | |
| 16:30 - 17:00 | Certificate Award Ceremony | |
| 19:00 | Gala dinner | |
| Day 2 - Sep 25, Friday | ||
| Scientific results and technical deep dive | ||
| 8:30 - 9:30 | REGISTRATION & WELCOME COFFEE | |
| 9:30 - 11:30 | DEEP DIVE IN SCIENCE | |
| 9:30 - 9:45 | Physiological measurement of learning in virtual reality | UNIGE |
| 9:45 - 10:00 | Preparing for emergency calls through AI-enabled dialogue systems | UNIBW |
| 10:00 - 10:15 | From Ecosystem Evaluation to School Evacuation Games: Integrated Approaches Within B-prepared | HVL |
| 10:15 - 10:30 | QoE Optimization for Virtual Reality Gaming and Streaming over Mobile Edge Networks | LIU |
| 10:30 - 11:30 | POSTER SESSION AND COFFEE BREAK | |
| 11:30 - 12:30 | POLICY, STANDARDIZATION, IMPACT | |
| White paper - Insight on disaster preparedness of citizens | András Majdik, B-prepared Coordinator, SZTAKI | |
| Preparedness as the new standard | Zoltán Székely, B-prepared Deputy Coordinator, SFC | |
| Evaluation summary | Attila Lengyel, RU-prepared product owner, EduGamiTec | |
| 12:30 - 13:30 | LUNCH BREAK on site | |
| 13:30 - 15:30 | POLICY ROUND TABLE on citizen disaster preparedness | |
| 13:30 - 13:50 | Keynote | Grégory Allione, EP |
| 13:50 - 14:10 | Presentation of B-prepared Policy Brief | Zoltán Székely, SFC |
| 14:10 - 15:10 | Roundtable discussion with EU and national institutions |
Moderator: Bence Juhász, SZTAKI |
| 15:10 - 16:00 | CLOSING AND FAREWELL | |
24–25 September 2026
After years of collaboration, research, innovation and field validation, the B-PREPARED project concludes with a two-day Final Conference bringing together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, technology developers and civil society representatives to reflect on results and shape the future of citizen disaster preparedness in Europe.
Day 1 – 24 September
From Vision to Practice
The first conference day focuses on the broader vision of citizen preparedness and the practical solutions developed within B-PREPARED.
The morning opens with keynote speeches addressing global and European disaster risk reduction priorities, including the goals of the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction framework and the EU Disaster Resilience Strategy. These perspectives set the scene for understanding how citizen engagement and digital innovation contribute to resilience at multiple governance levels.
Participants will then be introduced to the B-PREPARED vision, mission and policy relevance, followed by presentations of the project’s core solutions, including Disastropedia and IM-prepared.
In the afternoon, the programme moves from conference room to real-life experience: participants will download the app and take part in a guided preparedness walk, demonstrating how digital tools can support situational awareness and risk understanding in everyday environments.
Further in the afternoon, other project solutions will be showcased, including VR-Prepared and RU-Prepared, highlighting how immersive technologies and targeted tools can strengthen learning, engagement and behavioural change. The day concludes with a reflection on the project’s overall impact and its continuation beyond the funding period.
Throughout the day, participants can experience the VR-Prepared demonstration in the lounge area, offering hands-on insight into immersive preparedness training.
The evening will feature a gala dinner, providing space for networking and celebrating the contributions of partners and supporters who made the project possible.
Day 2 – 25 September
Scientific Results, Technical Insights and Policy Impact
The second day offers a deeper dive into the scientific foundations, technical developments and long-term impact of B-PREPARED.
Sessions will present research results, including insights into learning processes in virtual reality environments, evaluation findings, and methodological approaches developed during the project. Contributors will share publications, technical developments and lessons learned from piloting and validation activities.
A dedicated poster session will provide an interactive platform for further exchange, discussion and networking.
The conference will also address policy uptake and standardisation pathways, including insights from the project’s white paper, evaluation summary and contributions to future standards in disaster preparedness and resilience. As part of this, the B-prepared coordinator will formally hand over a proposal for legislation aimed at EU-wide inclusion of harmonised disaster preparedness education in the EU to the representatives of the European Commission.
In the afternoon, a high-level Policy Round Table on citizen disaster preparedness will bring together EU and national representatives to reflect on the presented findings and discuss concrete pathways for policy integration and coordinated action. The session will include a keynote address, the presentation of the B-prepared Policy Brief, and a moderated discussion fostering dialogue between institutional and project-level perspectives.
The Final Conference will close with reflections on the project’s legacy and the next steps for strengthening citizen preparedness across Europe.
By combining policy dialogue, practical demonstrations, immersive experiences and scientific reflection, the B-PREPARED Final Conference marks a milestone in advancing inclusive, technology-supported disaster preparedness for European communities.
