The Organising Committee of the 13th International Congress of Coptic Studies announces the release of the Fourth Circular for the upcoming congress, which will take place in Göttingen from 27 July to 1 August 2026. Nearly 300 participants have already registered for the congress.
The Fourth Circular announces the publication of the preliminary programme on the congress website. While minor adjustments may still occur due to late registrations and cancellations, participants can now begin planning their attendance. A book of abstracts will also be made available online in due course.
The congress will open on Monday morning, 27 July, in the historic Aula of the University of Göttingen. Subsequent plenary lectures, panels, and parallel sessions will take place in the Central Lecture Building (ZHG), located within walking distance of Göttingen’s city centre.
Notably, while regular registration has now closed, late registration remains open until 1 July 2026. Participants are encouraged to complete their registration as soon as possible, especially those travelling from countries requiring visas for entry into Germany. The organisers point out that visa processing times may be longer than usual and advise early application.
Registration for the conference dinner will also close on 1 July, as final catering arrangements require a confirmed number of participants in advance.
Furthermore, the organisers are delighted to report that fifteen travel grants of €750 each have been awarded to colleagues from Egypt. These grants were made possible through the generous support of the Martin and Brigitte Krause Foundation and the St. Shenouda the Archimandrite Coptic Society, while the Société d’Archéologie Copte has kindly assisted with visa-related matters.
The congress will feature thirteen plenary lectures surveying developments in the major fields of Coptic Studies since the previous congress. Confirmed speakers include Ina Eichner (Archaeology), Frank Feder (Coptic Bible), Mary Farag (History and Historiography), Eric Crégheur (Gnosticism and Manichaeism), Ivan Miroshnikov (Linguistics), Dobrochna Zielińska (Art and Museology), Hugo Lundhaug (Literature), Perrine Pilette (Copto-Arabic Studies), Paul Dilley (Monasticism), Esther Garel (Papyrology), Nelly van Doorn-Harder (Modern Egyptian History), Martina Ambu (Ethiopic Literary Production), and Caroline T. Schroeder (Digital Humanities).
Participants will have the opportunity to attend several cultural events throughout the week. These include a reception in Göttingen’s historic city hall, a conference dinner, guided tours of the city, and an exhibition of Coptic and Copto-Arabic manuscripts at the Göttingen State and University Library, including manuscripts acquired in Egypt by Heinrich Brugsch in 1878. A student-curated exhibition on the history of Egyptology and Coptic Studies in Göttingen will also be on display during the congress.
The Organising Committee looks forward to welcoming colleagues from around the world to Göttingen in July 2026! For further information, participants are encouraged to consult the congress website and the newly released preliminary programme.