HSR2026 Symposium theme announcement

We are pleased to announce the 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, HSR2026, will be co-hosted by the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center of the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon, and will take place in Dubai in November 2026.

The theme of HSR2026 is Future-Focused Health Systems in a Changing World.

HSR2026 will focus discussion around four sub-themes:

• Politics and Polycrises – Governance, financing and diplomacy in the face of conflict and changing global order
• Plurality and Partnerships - Embracing diverse actors, sectors and care modalities
• Platforms and Participation – Harnessing digital technologies and honoring social contracts
• Pathways and Planet – Human-ecological concerns, and framing performance in a post-SDG era.

HSR2026 will provide a forum to discuss these challenges based on current and emerging evidence. Ultimately, looking to create ideas for future solutions that can strengthen health systems around the world, bringing improvements to healthcare for all.

Read detailed information about these sub-themes. Our calls for abstracts which will launch later this year will reflect this. As always, we want to hear from all of you, and we look forward to seeing next November in Dubai!

*The theme and sub-themes were selected following a membership survey, a global landscaping review, and extensive consultations with key regional and global leaders and actors in health policy and systems spaces.