Venue & Travel | ESSV 2027

The essentials

A waterfront campus with the city at your doorstep

ESSV 2027 will take place at the University of Southern Denmark’s Sønderborg campus in the award-winning Alsion building. The venue is located directly on the Alssund waterfront and immediately beside Sønderborg railway station.

Venue

SDU Sønderborg, Alsion 2, DK-6400 Sønderborg.

Conference dates

17–19 March 2027.

Walkable city

Station, harbour, hotels, restaurants and the old town are close by.

Parking

Free parking is available near the main campus entrance; follow local signage.

Conference venue

Alsion: knowledge, culture and acoustics under one roof

Alsion combines the University of Southern Denmark, higher education, research and business environments with a world-class concert hall. Its glass architecture opens directly towards the water and provides bright lecture rooms, generous networking spaces and modern audiovisual facilities.

Light-filled lecture halls and seminar rooms
Open atrium and poster areas with waterfront views
High-speed Wi-Fi and contemporary presentation technology
Café and catering facilities inside the building
Home of Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester and Alsion Concert Hall
Olafur Eliasson artworks inside and along the promenade

Explore SDU Sønderborg Campus · Read more about Alsion · Concert Hall programme

Alsion and SDU Sønderborg on the waterfront

Inside Alsion

Light, space, red foyers and flexible conference rooms

Beyond its waterfront setting, Alsion offers a striking interior landscape with bright atria, large foyer zones, modern lecture rooms, informal meeting areas and the adjacent concert hall environment. This combination makes the venue especially well suited for talks, posters, networking and ceremonial moments.

The photo wall below gives a first impression of the atmosphere participants can expect during ESSV 2027.

Waterfront terraces and views across Alssund

Lecture and presentation spaces for parallel sessions

The distinctive red foyer areas create a memorable conference atmosphere

Outdoor seating and social space directly by the building

Open atria and poster-friendly circulation areas

Concert-hall foyers and elegant circulation zones

Tiered lecture halls for plenary-style sessions

Modern seminar rooms for smaller sessions and meetings

Koncertsalen Alsion is part of the same wider venue environment and may also play a role in the ESSV experience (for example for ceremonial moments, subject to final scheduling). Around the conference dates, the following public performances are scheduled:

Koncertsalen Alsion

A renowned concert hall integrated into the Alsion complex, used for major performances and large-format events in Sønderborg.

Visitors who stay a little longer can combine ESSV with a musical evening in the same venue complex.

Browse the concert hall programme

Sunday · 14 March 2027 · 19:00

Pelles Fest (ekstra)

A public event at Koncertsalen Alsion just before ESSV 2027 begins — a nice option for early arrivals who want a first taste of the local cultural scene.

Event details & tickets

Thursday · 18 March 2027 · 19:30

Faurés Requiem

A major choral concert in the concert hall during the ESSV week. This is an especially attractive option for participants who extend their stay through Thursday evening.

Event details & tickets

Getting to Sønderborg

Easy to reach from Denmark, Germany and beyond

Timetables may change before March 2027, so please use the official journey planners when booking. The links below take you directly to the relevant operators.

Via Copenhagen

Fly to Copenhagen Airport and continue either by direct train to Sønderborg (around 4 hours) or by a short Alsie Express flight to Sønderborg Airport.

Alsie Express

By train

Sønderborg station is directly beside Alsion. The direct rail link from Copenhagen is convenient, and cross-border connections also work well via Flensburg.

Journey Planner

Via Hamburg

International travellers can also arrive via Hamburg, then continue by train to Flensburg and onward by rail or taxi into Sønderborg.

Deutsche Bahn

By car

Sønderborg is connected to the Danish and European road network via the E45. The campus address is Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, and parking is available near the venue.

Open in Google Maps

Stylised map of Europe showing Sønderborg

Sønderborg in a European context

For many ESSV participants, Sønderborg is best reached via Copenhagen or Hamburg. Both gateways connect smoothly to the Danish–German border region and to our compact waterfront conference city.

From Copenhagen, continue by direct train to Sønderborg or by the short Alsie Express flight to Sønderborg Airport.
From Hamburg, rail connections bring you quickly to Flensburg and onwards into Southern Denmark.
Once you arrive in the region, the final leg to hotels and the conference venue is short and easy.

Route sketch from Copenhagen and Hamburg to Sønderborg

Especially convenient arrival routes

The route sketch highlights the two simplest options for ESSV 2027: via Hamburg or via Copenhagen.

Via Hamburg: travel onward to Flensburg by train, then continue either by onward train across the border or by taxi directly to Sønderborg (roughly 30 minutes from Flensburg).
For a conference of this size, we will gladly help coordinate shared taxis or pickup windows for guests arriving from the Hamburg/Flensburg direction.
Via Copenhagen: take the direct train to Sønderborg, or fly with Alsie Express to Sønderborg Airport. From the airport, a taxi ride to most hotels or to Alsion usually takes about 10 minutes.

Campus map

Arrive, step off the train, and you are almost there

The railway station, main entrance and conference spaces are all located within the compact Alsion complex. A detailed ESSV room map will be added once the final programme and room allocation are available.

Map of the Alsion campus and surrounding area

Conference address: SDU Sønderborg, Alsion 2, DK-6400 Sønderborg

Official SDU directions

Suggested accommodation

Stay close to the conference — and close to the water

Sønderborg offers accommodation across several price categories. Many hotels are within walking distance of Alsion, the harbour and the town centre. Special ESSV rates and booking codes, if available, will be announced later.

Alsik Hotel & Spa

A modern waterfront landmark with Nordic design, harbour views, restaurants and extensive spa facilities, close to Alsion.

Visit hotel website

Hotel Sønderborg Strand

Located by the beach and opposite Sønderborg Castle, with views towards Flensburg Fjord and easy access to the town centre.

Visit hotel website

Hotel Sønderborg Kaserne

Individually furnished rooms and suites in a distinctive historic setting, many with balconies and views over Alssund.

Visit hotel website

Hotel 6400

A practical and comfortable hotel option in Sønderborg with straightforward access to the campus and city.

Visit hotel website

Scandic Sønderborg

A larger hotel with restaurant, leisure facilities and parking, located outside the immediate waterfront centre.

Visit hotel website

Hotel Sønderborg Garni

A smaller family-run hotel in a historic villa, close to the city centre and the beach.

View accommodation information

We recommend booking early. March is normally outside the main summer season, but room availability can still be limited when several events take place in the region. A broader overview is available through VisitSønderjylland.

A little extra time?

Experience Sønderborg beyond the conference rooms

Sønderborg combines harbour life, Danish–German border history, coastal nature, architecture and technology. These four suggestions are easy starting points for extending your stay.