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ICANN 2026 - CALL FOR PAPERS, SPECIAL SESSIONS, WORKHOPS, AND TUTORIALS
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On behalf of the ICANN 2026 Organizing Committee, it is our great pleasure to invite you to the 35th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, ICANN 2026, one of the premier conferences in the field of artificial intelligence, neural networks, neuroscience, and brain-inspired computing in Europe, organized in collaboration with the European Neural Network Society (ENNS).

ICANN 2026 will be held in Padua, Italy, one of the most charming and dynamic towns in Italy. It is located in the Veneto region, in Northern Italy. The historical center boasts a wealth of medieval, renaissance and modern architecture. Here, a fascinating mix of historic and new, of centuries-old traditions and metropolitan rhythms creates a unique atmosphere. The medieval palaces, churches, and cobbled streets emanate a sense of history. Padua features rich historical and cultural attractions, such as “Prato della Valle”, the largest square in Europe; the famous Scrovegni Chapel painted by Giotto; the Botanical Garden, which is a UNESCO World Heritage; and the University of Padua, which is the second oldest university in Italy (1222) with more than 800 years of history.

Conference Dates: September 14 to September 17, 2026
Conference Venue: Conference center of the School of Psychology, University of Padua, Italy
Conference Webpage: https://e-nns.org/icann2026/
Conference Email: icann2026@e-nns.org

ICANN 2026 aims to be a transformative event with the dual track of Artificial Intelligence & Deep Learning and Neuroscience, encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and industry experts. The event will feature cutting-edge research presentations and keynote talks by leading experts, continuing its tradition as a global, dynamic, and interactive forum bridging academia and industry.

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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Prospective authors are invited to submit original contributions of up to 12 pages (including references) to be published in Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series with an individual DOI.

The technical program, including special sessions, workshops, and keynote talks, covers almost all facets of Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, and Neuroscience. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

AI and Machine Learning:
- Theory and Foundations of Neural Networks
- Novel Neural Network Architectures
- Topics in Neural Networks
- Large Language Models
- Explainable AI
- Machine Learning for Graphs
- Graph Neural Networks
- Clustering, Reinforcement Learning
- New Topics in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Neurorobotics

Neuroscience:
- Theoretical/Computational Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Brain-Inspired Computing
- Spike trains neural decoding
- Functional neuroimaging
- Neuromorphic Systems
- Digital Twins and Virtual Brain models

Applications:
- AI in Drug Discovery
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Biosignal Processing
- Medicine and Physiology
- Speech and Language Processing
- Computer Vision
- Robotics
- Climate and Environment
- General Applications of Machine Learning

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CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS
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We invite proposals for Special Sessions and Workshops within the technical scope of ICANN 2026. These formats offer valuable opportunities to explore emerging, cross-disciplinary, innovative, and high-impact topics.

Special Session Guidelines:
- Special Sessions focus on well-defined topics within the scope of the conference and aim to provide a forum for in-depth discussion on state-of-the-art research.
- Duration: Same as standard sessions (up to 2 hours).
- Timeline: Follows the same format and deadlines as regular conference papers.
- Special Session Proposal Submission Form: https://forms.gle/WQFfEQWU45ans9Wv6

Workshop Guidelines:
- Workshops offer a broader scope than Special Sessions, showcasing specific methods, applications, or emerging topics to the wider conference audience.
- Workshops may span up to half a conference day and can include a variety of formats, such as invited talks, panel discussions, interactive sessions, brainstorming activities, or poster presentations. The Program Chairs are available to discuss specific arrangements with prospective organizers.
- Workshop Proposal Submission Form: https://forms.gle/HyBNwFXfjBZ4hEzZ9

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IMPORTANT DATES
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Main Conference:
- Deadline for full paper submission: March 16, 2026
- Final notification of acceptance or rejection: May 29, 2026
- Camera-ready paper upload and author registration: June 29, 2026

Special Sessions and Workshops:
- Special Session Proposal Submission: January 3, 2026
- Special Session Acceptance Notification: January 13, 2026
- Workshop Proposal Submission: February 2, 2026
- Workshop Acceptance Notification: February 12, 2026

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CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
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General Chairs:
- Alessio Micheli (University of Pisa, Italy)
- Nicolò Navarin (University of Padua, Italy)
- Alessandro Villa (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)

Program Chairs:
- Luca Pasa (University of Padua, Italy)
- Alessandra Lintas (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)
- Igor Tetko (Helmholtz Munich, Germany)

Submission Chair
- Linas Petkevičius (Vilnius University, Lithuania)

Publication Chair
- Domenico Tortorella (University of Pisa, Italy)

Workshop and Special Session Chairs
- Luca Oneto (University of Genoa, Italy)
- Valerie Vaquet (Bielefeld University, Germany)

Social Media Chairs
- Giovanna Maria Dimitri (University of Milan, Italy)
- Alessandro Dipalma (University of Pisa, Italy)

Diversity and Inclusion Chair
- Roseli S. Wedemann (Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Brazil)

Communication Chairs
- Davide Rigoni (University of Padua, Italy)
- Matteo Zavatteri (University of Padua, Italy)

Local Arrangements Chairs
- Merylin Monaro (University of Padua, Italy)
- Andrea Zangrossi (University of Padua, Italy)

Volunteers Coordinator
- Giovanni Donghi (University of Padua, Italy)