Proximate and Ultimate Perspectives on Behavioural Flexibility

Aug 19-21, 2026

Dr Diogo F. Antunes, UNIBE

Keynote Speakers:

• Karen Spencer - St Andrews University
• Herwig Baier - MPI Biological Intelligence
• Marta Moita - Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown
• David Wheatcroft - Stockholm University

Animals are exposed to diverse challenges in their everyday life. They need to decide when to forage, mate, care for offspring and fight, and all of these decisions can impact the individual's fitness and are dependent on environmental stimuli and the individual's internal state. The inability to flexibly adjust behavioural responses or the integration of the wrong environmental stimuli to the individual's internal state can be maladaptive. This raises the question of how can animals form robust behavioural responses over evolutionary time, while at the same time remaining flexible at the level of the individual.
In this workshop, we aim to discuss this topic with researchers from diverse fields, bringing together experts from neuroethology, evolutionary biology, and behavioural ecology. This should bring novel insights into the evolution and mechanistic principles of behavioural flexibility. The workshop will be comprised of talks given by experts from different fields, topic-focused discussion groups, and poster sessions. At the end of the workshop we will organize a joint hike in the nearby mountains.

Flyer (PDF)

Join us for 3 days of:
- Plenary talks
- Discussion rounds
- Poster session
- Hiking tour

Fafleralp

Map

When?

19-20-21 August 2026

Where?

www.fafleralp.ch

Note: The workshop is also open for a limited number of non-CUSO students (440 CHF)

Fees:
 

• Students of the DPEE: Deposit 100 CHF (refunded after full participation in the workshop)
• Other participants: 440 CHF

Travel:

PhD students of the DPEE are eligible for the reimbursement of incurred travel expenses by train (half-fare card, 2nd class). Reimbursement online via MyCUSO after the activity is over.

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