We invite submissions in all areas of Human–Computer Interaction. Held every two years, NordiCHI is one of the key venues for HCI research in Europe, bringing together an international community of researchers and practitioners.
The NordiCHI 2026 theme is Pulse – exploring the energy that drives us. Pulse reflects both the dynamic highs and calm lows of life, keeping us thriving, and will inspire keynotes and discussions throughout the conference. Vaasa is known for both its vibrant energy industry as the Nordic energy cluster and the tranquillity of its surrounding nature and UNESCO World Heritage site. Vaasa provides a fitting backdrop for reflecting on the future of HCI.
The conference welcomes the full breadth of HCI research, including contributions that advance theory, methodology, technology, or practice. NordiCHI has traditionally highlighted human-centred, values-driven work that bridges design inquiry and empirical study, often engaging societal contexts (e.g., health, education, sustainability, fairness), participatory methods, and critical/reflective perspectives. Technical work is welcome when it meaningfully engages interaction (e.g., explainability, HRI, XR, toolkits) and is supported by appropriate user-centred evidence; purely algorithmic or systems papers without a substantive HCI contribution are typically out of scope. We welcome submissions addressing the conference theme, however it is by no means a requirement to do so.
Important Dates (Anywhere on Earth)
- Abstract & metadata: April 16, 2026
- Full paper deadline: April 23, 2026
- Author notifications: June 30, 2026
- Camera-ready deadline: August 7, 2026
Topics of Interest
We welcome contributions across the breadth of HCI, including but not limited to:
- Collaborative Technologies: collaborative systems, cooperation through computers, crowdsourcing studies and tools, domains applications (e.g., health and wellbeing, education and lifelong learning, future of work, etc.)
- Design & Interaction: interaction techniques and modalities, visualization, VR/AR, tangible and embodied interaction, play and game experiences, design theories and methods.
- Human–Centred AI: generative AI and creativity support, explainability and transparency, human-in-the-loop and interactive machine learning, trust, control, and evaluation of AI-mediated experiences.
- Societal Challenges & Values: sustainability, accessibility, inclusion and diversity, digital wellbeing, privacy and security, critical and justice oriented HCI.
- Systems, Toolkits & Computational Interaction: engineering interactive systems, toolkits and infrastructure, fabrication and novel devices, input/output sensing, model-driven interaction.
- Understanding People: studies of behaviour, cognition, perception, and experience using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods; lab, in-the-wild, and auto/participatory ethnographies.
- User Experience: methodological innovations and reproducibility, visualization and visual analytics, domain applications (e.g., mobility, smart environments).
Papers
We welcome both longer papers that present substantial contributions and shorter papers that communicate significant advances concisely. For readability and fairness, submissions must not exceed 12,000 words (excluding references). The length of a paper should be proportional to its contribution, and shorter papers are equally welcome.
Accepted papers are considered archival and will appear in the ACM Digital Library. At least one author of each accepted paper must register for the conference, attend in person, and present the paper onsite.
Review Process
Research papers undergo dual anonymous peer review. Each paper will be reviewed by at least two external reviewers and one Associate Chair (2AC), with a meta-review by another Associate Chair (1AC). NordiCHI uses a single-cycle review; notifications are final, and there is no rebuttal stage.
The 1AC will manage the review process and recruit two external reviewers to assess each submission that undergoes full review. The 2AC will provide a full review like the external reviewers. External reviewers should have sufficient expertise on the topic of the paper(s) they are asked to review. As part of the review process Papers Chairs reserve the right to get additional input from other ACs for any paper so as to make the best decision for acceptance. External reviewers will be asked to provide a detailed review of the submission and will be asked to provide a recommendation following six choices:
- Definite accept: I would argue strongly for accepting this paper.
- Probably accept: I would argue for accepting this paper.
- Borderline, but somewhat closer ‘accept’ than ‘reject’.
- Borderline, but somewhat closer ‘reject’ than ‘accept’.
- Probably reject: I would argue for rejecting this paper.
- Definite reject: I would argue strongly for rejecting this paper.
1AC, 2AC, and the external reviewers will engage in a discussion to come to a consensus about the paper based on their recommendations. Final decisions are made in the PC meeting.
How to Submit
Please see Submission Guidelines.
Important note to authors about ACM´s new open access publishing model
ACM has introduced a new open access publishing model for the International Conference Proceedings Series (ICPS). Authors based at institutions that are not yet part of the ACM Open program and do not qualify for a full geographic waiver will be required to pay an article processing charge (APC) to publish their ICPS article in the ACM Digital Library. To determine whether or not an APC will be applicable to your article, please follow the detailed guidance here: https://www.acm.org/publications/icps/author-guidance.
Further information may be found on the ACM website, as follows:
Full details of the new ICPS publishing model: https://www.acm.org/publications/icps/faq
Full details of the ACM Open program: https://www.acm.org/publications/openaccess
Please direct all questions about the new model to icps-info@acm.org.
Chairs
Duncan Brumby, University College London
Teresa Hirzle, University of Copenhagen
nordichi2026papers@uwasa.fi