The Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV), through its Razón Abierta Institute, reminds us that there are only a few weeks left before the deadline for submitting proposals for papers to the 7th Razón Abierta Congress, which will take place on June 8, 9, and 10, 2026 at its Madrid campus under the theme “Francisco de Vitoria, Light for an Uncertain World”. The congress is part of the 500th anniversary of Francisco de Vitoria’s appointment to the University of Salamanca and aims to revisit his legacy as a guide for addressing, with intellectual depth and openness to dialogue, the great challenges of our time.
“Francisco de Vitoria is not only the namesake of our university; he is one of the great figures who demonstrates how a university can shed light on times of uncertainty through rigour , openness to dialogue, and a commitment to the dignity of every person,” notes María Lacalle, Vice Rector for Faculty and Educational Model and Director of the UFV’s Razón Abierta Institute. “With this conference, we want to help professors, students, and researchers rediscover his thought and engage it with today’s most pressing questions,” she adds.
Aimed at teachers and researchers from Spain and other countries, the conference seeks to foster interdisciplinary dialogue between the sciences, philosophy, and theology, in keeping with the spirit of Francisco de Vitoria’s thought.
With more than 100 participants from international universities over the course of the three-day event, the program will address highly topical issues such as natural law and human dignity, the mission of the Catholic university, the limits of civil power, justice in economic relations, the problem of war, and the challenges of artificial intelligence in higher education.
Call for papers: deadline extended to April 17, 2026
The deadline for submitting abstracts is April 17, 2026. Abstracts must fall under one of the conference’s thematic areas, including:
- Francisco de Vitoria: the man and his contributions.
- The School of Salamanca and 16th-century universities.
- Natural law, human dignity, and human rights.
- Transhumanism and other approaches to redesigning humanity.
- International law and peace; civil power and citizenship; the problem of war.
- Mission of the Catholic University.
- Higher education and awareness regarding artificial intelligence.
To submit a paper and be considered for publication, you must register for the conference in advance using the provided form. In the case of joint papers, the corresponding author will submit the proposal, but all presenters must register individually.
Proposals must be between 1,000 and 1,500 words in length, submitted as a Word file (fuente Times New Roman, tamaño 12 para el cuerpo del texto y 10 para las notas a pie de página), and titled with the name of the paper, without including the author’s name or the name of the institution. Papers may be submitted in Spanish or English.
Assessment and Oral Presentation
The Scientific Committee will evaluate the submissions between April 17 and May 15, 2026, based on criteria such as relevance to the conference’s theme and objectives, the academic significance of the topic, and a multidisciplinary approach fostering dialogue between science, philosophy, and/or theology, taking into account questions of “open reason” (antropológica, epistemológica, ética y de sentido).
“We want this conference to be a true forum for open discourse, where jurists, philosophers, theologians, economists, and experts from various disciplines can engage in dialogue based on Vitoria’s insights on topics such as just war, human rights, the economy, and the role of the university,” states Leopoldo Prieto, director of the conference and professor of Modern Philosophy at Francisco de Vitoria University. “Revitalizing the legacy of the School of Salamanca is a necessary contribution to deeply reflecting on the legal, social, and cultural challenges of our time,” he emphasizes.
A programme international experts
The programme 7th Razón Abierta Congress will combine lectures and panel discussions focused both on the figure and methodology of Francisco de Vitoria and on the major themes that defined the School of Salamanca and continue to challenge the modern world: natural law and human rights, just war, international law and peace, free trade and economic justice, the university’s evangelizing mission, and higher education in the age of artificial intelligence.
Participants include academics and experts from various universities and leading institutions, such as Domuni Universitas (Universidad Internacional, con sede en Toulouse), Universidad del Norte Santo Tomás de Aquino (Argentina), the University of Navarra, the University of Coimbra, the Institut Catholique de Toulouse, the University of Bologna, CEU San Pablo University, Carlos III University, the University of Salamanca, Ramón Llull University, and Francisco de Vitoria University itself, among others.
The Instituto Razón Abierta at Francisco de Vitoria University fosters dialogue between the sciences, philosophy, and theology, promoting interdisciplinary reflection on the major issues of our time in light of Christian humanism and the thought of authors such as Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI and Francisco de Vitoria.
With this 7th Razón Abierta Congress, Francisco de Vitoria University aims to make the 500th anniversary of Francisco de Vitoria an opportunity to renew the university’s mission of seeking the truth and serving the common good. Reexamining his legacy today, in dialogue with the challenges of artificial intelligence, peace, human rights, and the mission of the Catholic university, is an invitation to reflect deeply and with hope on an uncertain world. The Razón Abierta Institute encourages teachers and researchers from around the world to join this gathering and contribute, through their work, to a reason that is truly open to reality and to the dignity of every person.
More information and registration
Conference registration and abstract submission form: More information and registration
