O-Conference 2026

1st International Conference on Orienteering in Scientific Research and Higher Education

July 18-19, 2026 · Gothenburg, Sweden
In connection to O-Ringen!

Join the program committee Contribute! Call for abstracts

Organized by

Chalmers University of Technology logo

In partnership with

O-Ringen logo Svensk Orientering logo International Orienteering Federation logo

About the Conference

Orienteering is more than a sport of maps and movement — it is a rich laboratory for spatial reasoning, decision-making, AI, geospatial science, education, and ecological thinking. O-Conference 2026 brings together researchers, educators, practitioners, and the orienteering community from around the world to explore how orienteering inspires scientific research and higher education.

The aim is to build an international forum where ideas, methods, and results are exchanged across disciplines — from machine perception and navigation to pedagogy, mapping, sport science, and sustainability.

The program features invited speakers and an open call for abstracts, creating space for established researchers and emerging scholars alike.

And since many researchers are also orienteers, O-Conference 2026 offers a rare opportunity to merge professional work with personal passion — the conference is held just before O-Ringen, allowing participants to engage in scientific exchange one day and put theory into practice in the forest the next.

🔬Research

Orienteering-inspired work in navigation, spatial cognition, AI/robotics, GIS/remote sensing, psychology, physiology, operations research, and more.

📚 Education

Orienteering as a platform for innovative teaching and learning in STEM and beyond; curricula, labs, and outreach.

🤝 Networking

Meet researchers, educators, and federation partners to spark collaborations and future projects.

🌲 O-Ringen

Co-located with O-Ringen 2026 — extend your stay to participate and bring conference ideas onto real terrain.

Call for Abstracts

Contribute!

Call for Abstracts

Help shape the first international forum dedicated to orienteering-driven science, education, and innovation. Interested researchers, academics, practitioners, and industry partners are invited to submit contributions for the conference. Early career researchers and research students are also encouraged to contribute.

Contributions may be theoretical or empirical, classroom pilots or interdisciplinary collaborations, and previously presented work is welcome if adapted for this community.

Suggested topics

Potential program topics include, but are not limited to:
  • Research findings about orienteering
  • Orienteering-inspired research in other fields
  • Innovative teaching practices using orienteering
  • Examples of lectures, exercise classes, or tutorials where orienteering is considered as a case-study
  • Orienteering performance analysis
  • New technologies for orienteering

Guide for contributors

Submission format

Contributors are invited to submit a one-page abstract that includes the following elements:

  • Clearly stated research question or challenge
  • Methods or pedagogical approach
  • Key findings, insights, or expected contributions
  • Optional figures, videos, links, or learning artifacts

Accepted abstracts will be presented at the conference. The presentation must be accessible to a broad audience.

All accepted abstracts will appear in the program and digital conference proceedings (published as a technical report).

How to submit

Email a PDF (max 1 page) to marco.dellavedova@chalmers.se.

Include author names, affiliations, and your preferred presentation format (lightning talk, short talk, or demo).

Submission deadline · 15 April 2026

Important Dates

Call opens

November 2025

Submission deadline

15 April 2026

Notification of acceptance

15 May 2026

Registration

30 June 2026

Conference date

18-19 July 2026 · Gothenburg

All deadlines follow “anywhere on Earth” time.

Organizers

EH

Conference Co-chair

Erik Hulthén

Chalmers University of Technology

PC

Program Committee

To be announced

Contact us if you are interested in joining the program committee.

Confirmed names will appear here soon.

Sponsors & Partners

Chalmers University of Technology O-Ringen Svensk Orientering International Orienteering Federation

Interested in sponsoring? Contact us for more information.

Registration

Attendance at O-Conference 2026 is free of charge. Registration will open in spring 2026.

Venue & Location

Host city

Gothenburg, Sweden

Sweden's west-coast capital blends a vibrant academic environment with leafy parks, harborside promenades, and a compact city core—perfect for walking discussions between sessions.

We are finalizing facilities together with Chalmers University of Technology and will share the specific venue spaces and floor plans during spring 2026.

Conference date 18-19 July 2026
Venue partner Chalmers University of Technology
In connection to O-Ringen 2026
  • Central Gothenburg locations, steps from cafés, trams, and the O-Ringen hub.
  • Göteborg Landvetter Airport offers direct coaches to the city in 25 minutes.

Contact

Marco Della Vedova

Conference Chair, O-Conference 2026

Senior lecturer of Applied AI, Chalmers University of Technology

marco.dellavedova@chalmers.se mldv.it