ICLR 2026 Call for Socials
ICLR supports the strong community-building role that is so central to the conference. We hope to create opportunities for all participants to meet new people and to share knowledge, best-practices, opportunities, and interests. A Social is a participant-led meeting centered around different themes. These themes can be anything ranging from a gathering around research topics and interests (e.g., generative models, reinforcement learning, social impact ML), around skills exchange and training (e.g., giving better presentations, guidance on academic job applications), supporting affinity group meetings (e.g., Women in Machine Learning), or other social and intellectual gatherings. If you are interested in hosting a Social, please complete this form. Submit this form before March 17th AoE. Notifications of acceptance will go out on March 27th AoE. Socials are typically 1.5 - hour long sessions, must have at least two leads (who will organize the session, moderate the session, and ensur
ICLR supports the strong community-building role that is so central to the conference. We hope to create opportunities for all participants to meet new people and to share knowledge, best-practices, opportunities, and interests.
A Social is a participant-led meeting centered around different themes. These themes can be anything ranging from a gathering around research topics and interests (e.g., generative models, reinforcement learning, social impact ML), around skills exchange and training (e.g., giving better presentations, guidance on academic job applications), supporting affinity group meetings (e.g., Women in Machine Learning), or other social and intellectual gatherings.
If you are interested in hosting a Social, please complete this form. Submit this form before March 17th AoE. Notifications of acceptance will go out on March 27th AoE.
Socials are typically 1.5 - hour long sessions, must have at least two leads (who will organize the session, moderate the session, and ensure respectful communication). Organizers and guests should be registered participants of ICLR. We will review these as quickly as we can after the deadline. We may combine activities, or suggest other modifications (such as suggesting alternative dates/times) in order to balance the program of activities.
Privacy notice: We collect email addresses to contact you afterwards for feedback about your session. This data can be seen by the ICLR organizing committees and their support teams, and identifiable information (e.g., names and emails) will be removed within 6 months of the conference ending.
Executive Summary
The article announces the call for socials at ICLR 2026, a participant-led conference focused on machine learning research. The conference aims to create opportunities for community-building, skills exchange, and social gatherings. Interested participants can host their own socials, with a 1.5-hour time slot, and must have at least two leads. The conference will review submissions and may modify or combine activities to balance the program. The article also includes a privacy notice regarding data collection and use. The call for socials deadline is March 17th, and notifications of acceptance will be sent on March 27th.
Key Points
- ▸ ICLR 2026 invites participants to host socials focused on community-building, skills exchange, and social gatherings
- ▸ Socials are participant-led, 1.5-hour sessions with at least two leads and registered participants
- ▸ The conference will review and modify submissions to balance the program
- ▸ A privacy notice outlines data collection and use for socials feedback
- ▸ The deadline for submitting socials is March 17th, and notifications of acceptance will be sent on March 27th
Merits
Fostering Community Engagement
By allowing participants to host socials, ICLR 2026 encourages community engagement, skills exchange, and social gatherings, which are essential for the success of the conference and the development of machine learning research.
Promoting Skills Development
The socials format provides an opportunity for participants to share knowledge, best-practices, and skills, contributing to the growth and improvement of machine learning research.
Demerits
Limited Time Slot
The 1.5-hour time slot may be too short for some socials, potentially limiting the depth of discussions and the range of topics covered.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
With multiple socials potentially taking place concurrently, there may be conflicts of interest or overlapping topics, which could lead to confusion and decreased engagement.
Expert Commentary
The call for socials at ICLR 2026 is a well-intentioned effort to foster community engagement, skills exchange, and social gatherings among machine learning researchers. By allowing participants to host their own socials, the conference acknowledges the importance of community-building and collaboration in the success of machine learning research. However, the 1.5-hour time slot and the potential for conflicts of interest may limit the effectiveness of the socials format. To address these limitations, the conference may consider providing additional resources, such as moderators, and revising its data collection and use policy to maintain the trust of participants.
Recommendations
- ✓ Increase the time slot for socials to allow for more in-depth discussions and a wider range of topics.
- ✓ Establish clear guidelines and protocols for moderators to ensure the success of the socials and the engagement of participants.
