ICDT 2026: Call for Papers

ICDT (International Conference on Database Theory) is a series of international scientific conferences focused on research in the foundations and theory of data management. Since 2009, ICDT has been held annually and jointly with EDBT (Extending Database Technology).

The 29th edition of ICDT in 2026 is planned to take place in Tampere, Finland, from March 24 to March 27, 2026.

Topics of Interest

We welcome research papers on every topic related to the principles and theory of data management, provided that there is a clear connection to foundational aspects. This includes:

• Theoretical investigation of data management systems (e.g., Indexes, Concurrency and recovery, Distributed and parallel databases, Cloud computing, Privacy and security, Graph databases, Data streams and sketching, Data-centric process management, Data and knowledge integration, Data provenance, Views, Data warehouses, Domain-specific databases).
• Design and study of data models and query languages.
• Development and analysis of algorithms for data management.
• Connections between data management and other areas such as knowledge representation, semantic web, web services, information retrieval and data mining, machine learning/AI, distributed computing, and theoretical computer science.

A clear emphasis on foundational aspects is expected for all submissions. The Program Committee reserves the right to desk reject submissions considered out of scope.

Submission Cycles and Dates

ICDT will have two submission cycles for 2026:

ICDT Submission Cycle 1

• Abstract submission: March 13, 2025 (AoE)
• Paper submission: March 20, 2025 (AoE)
• Notification: June 1, 2025

ICDT Submission Cycle 2

• Abstract submission: September 3, 2025 (AoE)
• Paper submission: September 10, 2025 (AoE)
• Notification: December 1, 2025

Note: Papers rejected in the first submission cycle cannot be submitted to the second submission cycle unless explicitly requested by the reviewers.

Submission Instructions

All submissions will be electronic via EasyChair: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=icdt2026

• Papers must be written in English and provide sufficient detail for assessment.
• Papers must be submitted as PDF documents, using the LIPIcs style (http://www.dagstuhl.de/en/publications/lipics/instructions-for-authors).

Tracks

1. Regular Research Papers (15 pages, anonymized)

   • Results must be unpublished and not submitted elsewhere.
   • Maximum 15 pages, excluding references. Appendices are at the discretion of the PC.
   • Papers must conform to LIPIcs formatting requirements.

2. Database Theory in Action (4 pages + references, non-anonymized)

   • Short papers illustrating applications of database theory in other domains or real-world problems.
   • Can be based on previously published work.
   • Titles must start with "Database Theory in Action:".
   • Include pointers to relevant publications, websites, tools, etc.

Publication

The proceedings will appear in the Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs) series, available online and free of charge. Authors retain rights over their work.

At least one author of each accepted paper is expected to register for the conference and present the paper.

Anonymous Submission (for Regular Research Papers)

• Submitted papers must not list authors or affiliations, nor include acknowledgments.
• References to authors' own prior work must be anonymized.
• Anonymized citations are permissible where necessary (e.g., referring to a system with privileged access).
• Authors may make submissions available via pre-print services (e.g., ArXiv), but should not label work as "under submission at ICDT" or indicate it is under review.

Awards

• Best Paper Award
• Best Newcomer Paper Award (preferentially for student-only papers, then called Best Student-Paper Award).

The program committee reserves the right to not give awards, to split awards, and to define "newcomer". Papers by program committee members are eligible for awards, with procedures to avoid conflicts of interest.