The 19th Conference of the Associated Research Centers for Urban Underground Space (ACUUS 2025) was held in Belgrade from November 4 to 8, 2025, organized by the University of Belgrade, the Faculty of Transport and Communications, and the Institute of Architecture and Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia (IAUS).
ACUUS is an international, non-governmental organization dedicated to fostering partnerships among experts in the research, planning, development, utilization, and management of urban underground space. Its main goal is to provide a focal point that gathers specialists from various disciplines, enabling them to develop coherent initiatives that promote subsurface development and the use of underground infrastructure for the benefit of urban life.
The conference brought together academics, researchers, and industry professionals from numerous countries and all continents, and was hosted at the renovated Sava Center. Belgrade was selected as the host city at a previous ACUUS meeting held in Singapore in 2023.
The theme of this year’s conference, “Underground Mobility and Elevated Thinking: New Opportunities and Challenges in the Use of Underground Urban Space,” focused on topics related to transportation through underground infrastructure, new potential uses of subsurface spaces, and their integration into urban functions.
The main goal of the conference was to engage all stakeholders in open and constructive discussions on the future development and improvement of the use of urban underground space (UUS), as well as its recognition and implementation within current municipal and legislative systems. Properly planned and utilized underground spaces contribute to creating sustainable, resilient, and livable urban environments capable of responding to modern challenges such as urban population growth, climate change, and environmental pressures.
IAUS Director Dr. Saša Milijić, Principal Research Fellow, was a member of the Organizing Committee, while IAUS Assistant Director Dr. Božidar Manić, Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Nataša Danilović Hristić, Principal Research Fellow, and Dr. Marija Lalošević, Research Fellow, were members of the Scientific Committee. Dr. Danilović Hristić and Dr. Lalošević also served as chairpersons, moderating several conference sessions.
The conference, prepared over the course of two years, featured more than 100 reviewed scientific papers evaluated by the Scientific Committee. The event was accredited, and the best contributions in the form of technical papers will be published in the journal Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology (TUST).
The main part of the conference included keynote lectures and thematic sessions on architecture, digital technologies, resilience and sustainability, energy efficiency, and urban planning — all within the context of underground spaces.
As part of ACUUS 2025, around 40 participants from several countries took part in a workshop on underground structures held at the Palace of Science. The workshop included lectures by international experts from Greece, Canada, and the USA, focusing on the challenges and solutions in constructing subway lines in New York, the sustainability and economic aspects of underground construction, the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools — particularly in soil structure analysis — and safety measures related to tunnel use. The workshop concluded with a guided tour of the Palace of Science exhibition.
Conference participants also had the opportunity to join a technical tour of the Belgrade Urban Planning Institute, where they attended a lecture about the Institute building and learned about the history and challenges of metro planning in Belgrade.
On the final day, the ACUUS General Assembly was held, during which new leadership was elected for the upcoming term. It was also announced that the 20th ACUUS Conference (ACUUS 2027) will take place in Nanjing, China. The Belgrade conference concluded with the screening of a short film presenting the future host city.
ACUUS 2025 once again brought together leading experts from around the world, opening new perspectives in underground space planning and management, presenting the latest knowledge and practices in urban and subsurface development, and serving as an important platform for the exchange of ideas and innovations.
ACUUS 2025 Belgrade
ACUUS Official Website
