Inclusion and accessibility

ECCB 2026 is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming conference environment for the computational biology and bioinformatics community. In line with our Code of Conduct, and in collaboration with the SIB Diversity Focus Group, ECCB 2026 is implementing measures to ensure equitable and accessible participation for all attendees, including the measures and initiatives listed below:

If you have specific accessibility or inclusion requirements not covered here, please contact us by email so we can discuss possible arrangements.


Inclusion, Diversity and Equality

The following measures are implemented across ECCB 2026 to support equitable participation, representation, and respectful engagement:

  • Gender-balanced scientific committees
    Conference committees aim to reflect balanced representation, with particular attention to gender diversity.
  • Fair and transparent selection process
    Proceedings manuscripts, abstracts, and proposals for tutorials and workshops are evaluated through a transparent review process, including blind assessments, to ensure fairness and scientific merit.
  • Support for PhD students and early-career researchers
    ECCB 2026 offers dedicated activities and mentoring opportunities to support career development, including sessions led by invited speakers, special-track sessions (focus and industry sessions), tutorials and workshops, and structured networking and social events such as the conference reception and social programme.
  • Inclusive and respectful communication
    Participants are encouraged to use inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and engage respectfully with others. Participants are invited to indicate their preferred pronouns on their conference badge.
  • Respectful conflict resolution
    Any issues or conflicts will be addressed in a professional and respectful manner, in line with the conference’s Code of Conduct.
  • Childcare support
    Childcare support can be arranged upon request. For the duration of the conference, ECCB 2026 will facilitate on-site childcare by coordinating the presence of a nanny in a designated room within the conference venue. Participants who wish to make use of this service are kindly asked to contact the organizing team in advance to register their interest. Please note that the childcare arrangement and any related agreement are made directly between the parent or guardian and the caregiver, and responsibility for the child remains with the parent or guardian. The conference organizers do not assume legal or insurance liability.
  • Lactation and nursing facilities
    A lactation and nursing room is available upon request at the congress centre.
  • Dietary needs
    Catering will make its best efforts to accommodate dietary requirements.

Accessibility and mobility

In collaboration with the SIB, ECCB 2026 is committed to providing an accessible conference environment and to ensure that information and services are available to participants with disabilities or other accessibility needs.

  • Accessible venues
    All sessions and event spaces are accessible to participants with reduced mobility.

  • Vertical access
    Elevators are clearly signposted and provide access to all floors of the congress centre.

  • Stage access for presenters
    Ramps are available in all conference rooms to allow speakers and presenters to access the stage.

  • Printed materials
    Printed versions of the conference programme are available at the registration desk.

In addition, the following support can be arranged to accommodate individual needs, upon request:

  • Quiet rooms for rest or sensory breaks.

  • Website accessibility tools, including an accessibility plug-in to support online navigation.

  • Personal assistance, with a dedicated volunteer available during the event (upon prior request)

Participants with specific accessibility or mobility needs are encouraged to contact the organizing team in advance to discuss possible arrangements.

Encouraging women to take the stage at our conference

Published research consistently shows that women remain under-represented among invited speakers and submitted abstracts in computational biology and bioinformatics. We share this information transparently to acknowledge this imbalance and to make clear that it is not a reflection of scientific excellence or interest, but rather the result of well-documented structural factors and unconscious biases in academic environments. 

At the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, we are actively reflecting on these mechanisms and working to address them through concrete actions in conference organization, review processes, and outreach. As part of this effort, we explicitly encourage women and other under-represented researchers, across career stages, to submit abstracts, apply for talks, and participate visibly in ECCB. 

ECCB aims to provide a scientific space where diverse expertise and perspectives are represented. Increasing participation from women is an essential step toward more balanced, inclusive, and scientifically robust conferences. SIB is committed to promoting inclusive scientific exchange through both structural action and encouragement of women’s participation. 

A more extensive overview of women’s underrepresentation at academic conferences, including detailed evidence and references, is available in a dedicated document authored by Natasha Glover for the SIB Diversity Focus Group (December 2024), which can be found here.