On 5 and 6 October 2026, infrastructure professionals from across Europe gathered in Turin for the 41st NETLIPSE Network Meeting, hosted by TELT and supported by SITAF. Over two days, participants explored some of the most pressing challenges in major infrastructure delivery: managing cross-border projects, balancing project and portfolio priorities, building strong project cultures, and connecting research with practice.
As always, the value of a Network Meeting was not only found in the presentations, but also in the open discussions between peers facing similar challenges in different countries and sectors.
The presentations from the two days can be found in the Knowledge Hub.
Delivering infrastructure across borders
The meeting opened with a strong focus on cross-border and multi-client projects. Fittingly, the first keynote came from TELT, the organisation responsible for delivering the new Turin-Lyon railway connection, one of Europe's most ambitious cross-border infrastructure programmes. The project includes a 57.5 km base tunnel through the Alps and requires continuous cooperation between France and Italy.
The discussion quickly moved beyond engineering. Speakers highlighted that successful cross-border projects depend on something much less tangible: shared objectives, mutual understanding, trust between organisations, and the willingness to find solutions that do not yet exist. Innovation, cooperation and alignment emerged as recurring themes throughout the day.
Lessons from the Dutch Oude Lijn Programme reinforced this message. Delivering a programme involving more than twenty stakeholders requires careful decision-making structures, high-performing teams and a relentless focus on providing decision-makers with clear and complete information.
European perspectives were added through contributions on the TEN-T Corridors and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The message was clear: while European funding can unlock opportunities and accelerate projects, successful collaboration ultimately depends on people and organisations working towards a common goal.
The FAIRway Danube II Programme provided a compelling example of how six countries are working together to improve navigation and resilience along the Danube. The project demonstrated that large international programmes succeed when stakeholders are involved early, knowledge is shared openly, and organisations work together on common procurements and standards.
This theme continued during the afternoon panel discussion, where participants debated outsourcing, internal expertise and the evolving role of project managers. While organisations adopt different approaches, there was broad agreement that project management remains fundamentally a people profession. Technical expertise matters, but success often depends on relationships, communication and the ability to bring stakeholders together around a shared objective.
Bridging research and practice
A hallmark of NETLIPSE meetings is the Research Café, where practitioners and researchers meet to exchange ideas.
Participants could choose from a range of interactive sessions covering topics such as boundary management in complex programmes, financing and risk in nuclear projects, infrastructure asset portfolio management, economic impacts of delivery models, and the factors that help research-practice networks thrive over time.
Rather than traditional presentations, the format encouraged dialogue. Researchers gained valuable insights from practitioners, while project professionals were exposed to new perspectives and emerging research that may shape future project delivery approaches.
From projects to portfolios
Day two shifted attention from individual projects to portfolio management.
Presentations from Die Autobahn, Lantis, Société des Grands Projets and Schiphol Airport highlighted a challenge that many organisations increasingly face: not just delivering projects successfully, but selecting the right projects in the first place.
Speakers explored how organisations prioritise investments when funding, resources and capacity are limited. Discussions centred on transparency, strategic alignment, risk management and the reality that every decision to prioritise one project often means postponing another.
Particularly memorable was the insight that portfolio management is not about making perfect plans. It is about making explainable, transparent and repeatable decisions in an environment of constant uncertainty and change.
Examples from the Oosterweel Connection in Antwerp, the Grand Paris Express and Schiphol Airport illustrated how mega-projects are increasingly managed as portfolios of interconnected projects, requiring strong interface management, clear governance and continuous steering.
Building cultures that deliver
The final theme focused on project team culture and development.
Drawing on experiences from the Oosterweel Connection, Evert Vanheertum argued that collaboration should be treated as a delivery strategy rather than a soft ambition. On large, complex programmes, contracts alone are insufficient. Trust, transparency, shared ownership and a focus on what is best for the project are equally important.
One quote particularly resonated with participants:
"Make bad news safe, or it will arrive too late."
Roland Jansen from ProRail’s PHS Nijmegen project approached the topic from a team-building perspective. His practical lessons centred on three principles: build a tribe, offer safety and give autonomy. He demonstrated that strong project teams are created not only through structure and governance, but also through trust, psychological safety and shared ownership of the work.
More than presentations
Beyond the formal programme, delegates participated in networking activities, group and table discussions, a site visit to the Basilica di Superga, and the NETLIPSE Network Dinner in the heart of Turin. These moments continue to be an important part of what makes NETLIPSE unique: creating opportunities for open conversations and lasting professional connections across Europe.
Looking ahead
The Turin meeting once again demonstrated the strength of the NETLIPSE community. Whether discussing Alpine tunnels, airport portfolios, urban rail networks, waterways or station projects, the challenges often proved surprisingly similar.
Across all discussions, one message stood out: successful infrastructure delivery is not only about technical solutions. It is about people, cooperation, leadership and the ability to make good decisions in complex environments.
The conversation will continue at the 42nd NETLIPSE Network Meeting, which will take place 19 - 20 april 2027 in Bratislava, Slovakia!
