ECIR 2026 has now successfully concluded, and we are delighted with the outstanding outcome of this year’s conference.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, speakers, organizers, and sponsors who contributed to making ECIR 2026 such a memorable and impactful event. The high-quality research, engaging discussions, and vibrant exchanges truly showcased the strength and innovation of the information retrieval community.
We are grateful for the enthusiasm and collaboration that defined this year’s conference and helped create an inspiring atmosphere for sharing ideas and building connections.
Thank you for being part of ECIR 2026 — we look forward to continuing this journey together in future editions.
Conference Highlights by Day
Relive the moments of ECIR 2026 through our daily photo galleries. Each day captures the energy, insights, and connections that made the conference so special. Below we will add the overview of pictures in the coming week.
We are pleased to announce that the Keith van Rijsbergen Award 2026 has been awarded to Tetsuya Sakai, Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Waseda University and Dean of the Center for Data Science at Waseda University.
The KvR Award recognises outstanding contributions to the field of information retrieval, with a particular emphasis on scientific excellence, innovation, and lasting impact on the research community. The Keith van Rijsbergen Award is sponsored by The University of Glasgow School of Computing Science and BCS IRSG.
Award citation: For pioneering contributions to the evaluation of information retrieval systems and lasting impact on experimental methodology in the field.
Prof. Sakai is internationally recognised for his work on evaluation metrics, test collections, and experimental methodologies. His research has shaped how information retrieval systems are assessed and compared, contributing to more robust and reproducible research practices across the discipline.
As part of the award, Prof. Sakai receives a monetary prize of £500, presented during the conference.
We warmly congratulate Prof. Sakai on this well-deserved recognition.
The 48th European Conference on Information Retrieval (ECIR 2026) is Europe’s premier forum for research in Information Retrieval (IR). It brings together researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to present and discuss new and innovative work shaping the future of search, recommendation, and generative information access.
ECIR 2026 will take place in Delft, The Netherlands, from 29 March to 2 April 2026. The programme begins on Sunday, 29 March at TU Delft (Aula Conference Centre), featuring tutorials, the doctoral consortium, and a workshop. The main conference will be held from 30 March to 1 April at Lijm & Cultuur, followed by a dedicated workshop and industry day on 2 April at the same venue.
ECIR has a strong tradition of supporting early-career researchers and actively encourages participation from postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers. The conference offers a space for presenting new ideas, engaging in technical discussions, and connecting with the IR community. Join us in Delft to explore current challenges and advances in Information Retrieval.
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BlueBuddy is your personal ECIR 2026 assistant on WhatsApp, here to make your conference experience easier. It helps you quickly find session information, venue details, directions, and other practical conference information during the event.
Simply scan the QR code or click the link below to get started. Send your first message, and BlueBuddy is ready to help.
Open BlueBuddy
During the conference, participants have the opportunity to attend Willem van Oranje – De Musical, a spectacular theatre production about the life and legacy of William of Orange, one of the most important figures in Dutch history. The performance takes place in the specially built Prinsentheater in Delft.
Conference participants can attend on Wednesday evening or Thursday evening. Registration is arranged separately via BlueBuddy, where participants can also find practical information and details on how to book.
Day 1
