IAP Institute of
Applied Psychology

Coaching Perspectives 2026

17th of September

Artificial Intelligence is already reshaping coaching practice. Coaching Perspectives 2026 brings international coaches, psychologists and researchers together to explore how state-of-the-art human coaching can be responsibly and meaningfully enriched by AI.

State‑of‑the‑art coaching meets AI

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant prospect in coaching, it is already transforming practice. AI systems detect patterns, generate insights and simulate dialogue. They take on tasks once reserved for human coaches: as coaching bots, as reflective sparring partners for practitioners, or as complementary tools within the coaching relationship.

These rapid developments raise crucial questions for coaching professionals:

  • how can I integrate AI responsibly without compromising quality, ethics, or the human core of coaching?
  • what does state‑of‑the‑art, high‑quality coaching mean in an era of intelligent machines?
  • how do I build AI literacy and contribute actively to the evolving professional discourse?

Coaching Perspectives 2026 is an international conference for coaches, psychologists and researchers who want to move beyond hype and fear and help shape the future of coaching with clarity, depth and professional integrity.

From hype to substance

At Coaching Perspectives 2024, we asked whether AI is a game changer or just hype. We learned that AI is advancing rapidly and already performs many tasks efficiently. At the same time, it became clear that true transformation in coaching still relies on human qualities such as trust, empathy, ethical judgment, experience, intuition and reflective dialogue. These insights form the foundation of Coaching Perspectives 2026.

The core question for 2026

How can state‑of‑the‑art human coaching offered by and for human beings be enriched or even enhanced by Artificial Intelligence?

This conference goes far beyond simple tool adoption or goal‑achievement models. It positions coaching as a complex, relational, ethical and developmental practice.
A shared understanding of what high‑quality human coaching is and what it is not, is therefore essential. Only with this clarity can AI be integrated in a way that supports rather than undermines, professional coaching.

17th of September

Save the date!

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What we will explore together

Together with international experts from practice and research, we will examine:

The goal is not to provide ready‑made answers, but to help participants develop a well‑informed, reflective and professionally grounded stance on AI in coaching.

Leading voices from research and practice

Organised by two of Switzerland’s leading universities of applied sciences in the field of coaching, the conference features internationally recognised speakers at the forefront of coaching, psychology and AI research.

Programme highlights

Inspiring keynotes
With internationally recognised voices including:

Panels with leading institutions
Engaging discussion with representatives from major professional bodies such as ICF and DBVC.

Practice focused workshops
Interactive sessions with:

Workshops provide practical examples of how AI can (and cannot) be used in coaching, bridging research, ethics and real world application.

Details

We look forward to a varied and inspiring day with you and invite you to mark the date in your calendar:

Date
17 September 2026
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – followed by a networking aperitif until 6:30 p.m.

Cost
CHF 470.00 (including coffee breaks, lunch, socializing event)
CHF 400.00 Early bird tickets until 15 May 2026
Registration: last places available until 7 September

Hint
Conference language is English

Location
Paulus Akademie
Pfingstweidstrasse 28
8005 Zürich
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Save the date

Further information will follow — save the date! Tickets can be purchased on the website soon. 

Conference Team

The event takes place in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, University of Stellenbosch and Berufsverband für Coaching, Supervision und Organisationsberatung bso. If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact us by email coaching.iap@zhaw.ch.