The 6th World Conference on Complex Systems (WCCS26), held last week at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco, successfully brought together over 30 presenters and a dozen keynote speakers from around the globe for three days of intense exchange. Co-organized by the Moroccan Society for Interdisciplinary Studies (MSIS) under the presidency of Professor Mohamed Nemiche, and supported by the OCP Group, the event fostered a vibrant community of researchers, scholars, and practitioners.
The conference featured insightful discussions on pressing global challenges, societal transformation, and the future of collective intelligence. Key sessions included Panel 1 on “Complexity, Society & Global Challenges,” chaired by Karima Kadaoui, and Panel 2 on “Rethinking Knowledge in the Age of Complexity,” moderated by Nigel Gilbert, which explored the implications of AI and large language models.
Highlights included powerful keynotes from Peter Turchin on the evolution of complex societies, Nigel Gilbert on complexity-aware policymaking, and Karoline Wiesner on the physics of political change. The event also celebrated the Best Paper Award, won by Luis Comolli for his work on emergence in designed agroecosystems, demonstrating how collective dynamics can drive sustainability. Other notable contributions covered critical transitions in human-natural systems and the origins of eukaryotic complexity.
The success of WCCS26 was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the organizing team, particularly Reda Benkirane and Nicolas Sperry-Guillou, as well as the unwavering support of the UM6P Events and Multimedia teams. As video recordings of the sessions will be made available soon, the conversations and insights from this memorable gathering will continue to inspire the global complexity science community.
