For more than fifteen years, ACROSS has documented and accompanied the transformation of retail real estate across Europe. Through interviews, project insights and expert commentary, we have documented how the industry continues to reinvent itself — from traditional shopping centers to mixed-use destinations, from retail-led assets to placemaking strategies.
But editorial dialogue has its limits.
Over the years, many conversations with developers, investors and operators have ended with the same thought: these are discussions that deserve more time and a different setting.
Not another conference session. Not a panel squeezed between two networking breaks. But a space where experienced professionals can step back from the pace of daily business and examine the bigger questions shaping the future of our industry.
This is the reason why we created the ACROSS Academy.
Why the Industry Needs New Learning Formats
Retail real estate is entering a new phase of transformation. Digital ecosystems are reshaping customer journeys, artificial intelligence is beginning to influence commerce, and physical places are evolving into destinations for culture, gastronomy and community.
These developments raise strategic questions that cannot be answered through quick presentations or isolated case studies. They require time, perspective and exchange between experienced practitioners.
The ACROSS Academy therefore focuses on curated formats designed for deeper engagement — formats where participants can explore ideas together rather than simply listen to them.
How the ACROSS Academy Works
The Academy extends the ACROSS platform into small, carefully curated executive formats that combine insight, experience and dialogue.
In the coming weeks, we will begin presenting the first formats of the ACROSS Academy here on ACROSS.
Some formats will take participants on Placemaking Safaris across Europe, exploring innovative retail and mixed-use destinations directly on site.
Others will take the form of executive workshops and masterclasses held by industry leaders, examining topics such as omnichannel strategies, digital transformation or the growing influence of artificial intelligence in retail environments.
Additional formats will explore the strategic role of Food & Beverage in shaping identity-driven destinations, as well as new approaches to placemaking that focus on people, culture and community.
Participation is intentionally limited to ensure open exchange between developers, investors, asset managers, operators and other senior professionals shaping retail destinations across Europe.
The goal is to create a setting where the conversations we start in the pages of ACROSS can continue in a more direct and collaborative way. Because in a time of rapid change, the future of our industry will not be shaped by more information alone. It will be shaped by better conversations — and ultimately by better decisions.
