We have gathered some ideas here which we hope you will find helpful, regardless of whether this is your first ever academic conference, your first time at NordiCHI, or just a moment when you’d like some advice on how to make the most of your time at the conference.
1. Don’t miss the pre-conference days (October 3-4): workshops and tutorials are a great place to start from
The pre-conference days feature workshops (https://sites.uwasa.fi/nordichi2026/nordichi-2026/program/workshops/) and tutorials (https://sites.uwasa.fi/nordichi2026/nordichi-2026/program/tutorials/) – both are a great way to dive deeper to topics of interest and, importantly, get to know like-minded people *before* the main program even starts. Don’t be shy: These events are a great way to make yourself at home in the community! Note that both need to be signed up for, separately, ahead of time! Workshops sometimes also request a short position paper or an expression of interest. Check the website for details and reach out to workshop/tutorial organizers if you have questions.
2. Schedule your main conference days (October 5-7) wisely – and remain open to improvise
Once the main program kicks off, your main job is to show up and be a part of the interaction, whether you are presenting or not. Some advance planning is advisable as you’ll need to make choices on which parallel sessions to attend. In addition to paper sessions, don’t neglect to also go to panels, poster sessions, and the evening programs – these are great in-the-moment ways to meet people and get inspired.
Yet, you don’t need to (and probably shouldn’t) try to do everything on the schedule. If you feel overwhelmed – most of us do at some stage – take a break to exercise, nap, or do whatever you need to do to recharge and be present! There will be dedicated quiet spaces available at the venue both during the pre-conference and the main program.
If you are having a fantastic conversation over lunch or coffee, it’s not a bad thing to take time for it rather than rush back to a session.
3. Join the Newcomers’ Breakfast and community lunches to make new friends!
The conference features a Newcomers’ Breakfast and interest-driven self-organizing lunch discussions to welcome newcomers and facilitate meeting new people. More information on these will be made available closer to the conference.
Since networking may feel alienating, it can help to think of connecting with people in terms of energizing encounters and (slowly) fostering relationships that will evolve over years (and decades) if you keep coming back to NordiCHI and other conferences. Especially if you are early in your career, don’t underestimate the value of meeting peers from other institutions – while maybe not famous right now, these may be your future colleagues (with whom you might one day run the community)!
4. Don’t be shy to connect with anyone you find interesting – the Nordic in NordiCHI stands for an inclusive spirit
If you want to meet someone in particular, it can be a good idea to reach out in advance and invite them to chat about research at a coffee break.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions at sessions – just remember to use the mic and introduce yourself. Of course, you can also chat with folks during coffee breaks and other mingling moments – or follow up afterwards over email or social media. Remember to wear your name badge to provide context for those around you.
5. If you have questions or concerns, reach out!
Ahead of the conference, the conference website should be your go-to for practical information. If you cannot find the answer, you can email the organizers whose area you think your question relates to. Remember organizers are volunteers so you might need to be patient while waiting to hear back.
At the conference, student volunteers (who will be wearing bespoke t-shirts for easy identification) will be around to help with any sort of question. Even if they don’t know the answer they’ll know the escalation protocol to get you the answer. As the name says, they’re both students and volunteers, so be nice and thank them for their hard work!
You should also feel free to reach out to anyone around you – it is on us all to collectively make NordiCHI 2026 the best possible experience.