How we built the HSR2026 programme

First, a huge thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract — and especially to all the reviewers who generously gave their time and expertise to help us build the HSR 2026 programme.

This has not been a straightforward year. Moving HSR2026 from Dubai was a difficult decision, made in the context of the conflict and rapidly changing situation in the region. We are deeply grateful to our partners and colleagues in Dubai who worked with us with extraordinary commitment and flexibility throughout the planning process. The decision to move was not taken lightly, and we remain very appreciative of everything they did to help make HSR 2026 possible.

The change of location, alongside the wider uncertainty around travel, funding and global events, meant that we had to adapt our plans along the way. We know this meant that some decisions and notifications took longer than expected. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we worked through these changes.

Now, with HSR2026 taking place in Cairo, Egypt, from December 7–9, we are excited to share a little more about how the programme came together — and why we think it will be a Symposium worth being part of. We are also deeply grateful to our co-hosting partners — the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG), the Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center at the American University of Beirut (AUB), and The American University in Cairo (AUC) — for their commitment, flexibility and collaboration in helping shape and deliver HSR2026 through this transition.

A very strong field of submissions

The response to HSR 2026 was extraordinary. We received more than 2,900 individual abstracts, alongside over 280 organized session proposals and more than 90 capacity strengthening proposals. Submissions came from researchers, practitioners, policymakers and advocates from all over the world.

This year, HSR2026 is also being delivered in a more compact three-day format. This required some difficult choices, while we sought to preserve a strong range of opportunities for our community to present, exchange and engage. Against this backdrop, and with such a strong field of submissions, competition was intense.

We ultimately selected 46 organized session proposals (17% acceptance rate), 23 capacity strengthening session proposals (24%), and 471 individual abstracts (approximately 16%). Of the individual abstracts, 299 were selected for oral presentation and 172 for flash oral presentation through the Lightning Stage format, giving more scholars the opportunity to present their work orally within the three-day programme.

The quality of submissions made many decisions difficult, and that is a good problem to have because it meant choosing from a remarkably rich pool of ideas, evidence, experiences and perspectives from across the health systems field.

How did we make the choices?

Organized sessions, capacity strengthening sessions and individual abstracts were assessed against clear criteria, including scientific and technical quality, relevance to the Symposium themes, significance for health policy and systems research, and potential contribution to field-building. Each of the more than 3,000 submissions received at least two independent reviews. A large international group of reviewers assessed submissions, providing the scores and recommendations that formed the foundation of the selection process.

To all our reviewers: thank you. This was a substantial amount of work, sometimes undertaken at very short notice. Your contribution is an essential part of making HSR possible.

But we also know that a truly global Symposium cannot be built by scores alone. Following the independent review, the Programme Working Group undertook a moderation process to ensure consistency and to consider representation across the programme. We looked at geography, institutions, themes and perspectives, while avoiding over-representation by any one institution or individual. We paid particular attention to representation from the Eastern Mediterranean Region, as the host region and historically one of the least represented regions in our Symposium submissions.

We also considered thematic balance and diversity across majority- and minority-world contexts. Importantly, we looked beyond institutional location alone, considering where research was conducted, whose health systems were being studied, and what perspectives were being brought into the programme all mattered. The goal was not to move away from scientific quality, but to make sure that quality, diversity and fairness could work together. We also recognize that acceptance does not automatically make participation possible. Funding constraints remain a significant barrier for many members of our community, and we are continuing to mobilize resources to support participation wherever possible. Given the limited resources available, our approach has been to extend support to as many eligible participants as possible, including through partial scholarships where appropriate.

So, why HSR2026 and Cairo?

Because the programme is only one part of what makes HSR special. Over three days, HSR2026 and Cairo will bring together an exceptional community of people working to understand, strengthen and transform health systems. The accepted abstracts offer a glimpse of the breadth of questions being asked across the field, from politics and polycrises to participation, partnerships, platforms, pathways and the future of health systems.

And there will be much more than presentations. We are preparing an exciting programme of plenary speakers, capacity strengthening activities, satellite sessions, regional and thematic events, study tours, networking opportunities and spaces for learning and exchange. Regional groups and Thematic Working Groups are already building momentum through pre-conferences, webinars and other activities. Opportunities to host satellite sessions are also still open, offering another way for organisations and partners to contribute to the HSR2026 programme.

And, of course, there is the opportunity to experience Cairo and Egypt — to learn not only from the Symposium programme, but from the place, people and health systems context in which it is taking place.

We are also conscious of the difficult and uncertain circumstances facing the Eastern Mediterranean Region and many other parts of the world, from conflict and climate crises to political and economic instability. In that context, coming together in the region is also an opportunity to show solidarity, sustain connections across our global community, and ask how our science can better serve health systems and the people who depend on them.

We know that attending HSR is not always easy. Funding constraints, visas, travel and other practical considerations can make participation difficult, and we are working on ways to support members wherever possible. But we hope that, where you can, you will make the journey.

Come for the science. Stay for the conversations. Learn from experiences far beyond your own context. Meet people you would never otherwise meet. Challenge your assumptions. Share what you know. And help us imagine what health systems research can contribute in a world facing profound uncertainty.

Early-bird registration is open until 7 September 2026, with discounted registration rates available to HSG members. If you are planning to join us in Cairo, we encourage you to register and begin making your travel and visa arrangements. For registration details and further information, visit the HSR2026 website.

We look forward to bringing the HSR community together in Cairo and to shaping the next chapter of HSR together.