At least 21 international congresses, conferences and meetings of scientific and association communities feature in the Poland Convention Bureau POT monitoring for October. Events are taking place in Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław, Poznań, Rzeszów, Łódź, Katowice, Gdynia, Toruń and Częstochowa, among other cities. Host venues include congress centres, universities and research institutes, with medicine, social sciences, technology, education and scientific research among the main programme themes.
The largest events for which organisers or local convention bureaux have published attendance forecasts range from several hundred to more than 1,000 delegates. The 35th Annual Congress of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy in Kraków is expected to attract around 1,500 participants, EHDN 2026 approximately 1,100, and CETEF’26 in Poznań more than 1,000.
October also demonstrates that Poland’s international meetings market extends beyond the country’s largest congress centres. During the same month, events organised by international associations, academic networks and research communities are also taking place in Rzeszów, Gdynia, Toruń and Częstochowa.
Kraków: from surgery and genetics to Huntington’s disease research
The first days of October bring two major international medical meetings to Kraków.
The European Gastric Cancer Congress EGCC 2026 takes place on 2–3 October. The Kraków medical community has been entrusted with organising the congress of the European Chapter of the International Gastric Cancer Association. The programme focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer, personalised therapy, and minimally invasive and robotic surgery.
Two days later, from 4 to 7 October, ICE Kraków Congress Centre welcomes delegates to the 35th Annual Congress of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy – ESGE 2026. Kraków Convention Bureau estimates attendance at approximately 1,500 participants.
ESGE also stands out for some of the solutions introduced in the organisation of the event. These include reusable bottles and water refill points, while congress badges allow delegates to use public transport in Kraków.
ICE Kraków will also host EO Unlimited 2026, scheduled for 7–9 October. The meeting of the international Entrepreneurs’ Organization community will address topics including technology, artificial intelligence, demographic change and business management. Around 300 participants are expected.
Another example of cooperation between international scientific organisations and the local academic community is the 5th FEBS-IUBMB-ENABLE Conference – “The Code of Life: Beyond the Genome to Multilayer Biology”, which will take place at the Jagiellonian University from 14 to 16 October. The conference is organised by the Federation of European Biochemical Societies and the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The Kraków edition is expected to attract around 200 participants.
One of the largest events of the month will be EHDN 2026, a meeting of the European Huntington’s Disease Network hosted at ICE Kraków. The Kraków Convention Bureau calendar lists the event for 20–25 October, with approximately 1,100 participants expected. The congress brings together the scientific and clinical communities working on Huntington’s disease, alongside representatives of patient organisations and families.
Kraków’s October calendar also includes the Planetary Science Conference 2026, scheduled for 23–24 October at the Jagiellonian University. The programme covers planets, exoplanets, small Solar System bodies, space missions and planetary exploration methods. Organisers expect around 200 participants.
Warsaw: health, addictions, urban space and regeneration
The October programme of international meetings in the Warsaw metropolitan area began with the Telemedicine and eHealth International Conference 2026, held in a hybrid format on 1 October at PTAK Warsaw Expo in Nadarzyn. The event is organised by the Polish Society of Telemedicine and eHealth, with academic communities from the Medical University of Warsaw and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University also involved.
The 13th International Scientific Conference “Gambling Disorder & Other Behavioural Addictions” takes place at Warsaw Plaza Hotel from 7 to 9 October. Its programme connects research into behavioural addictions with clinical practice, prevention and public policy.
A different perspective is offered by the New Territories of Foodscapes – Urban-Rural Landscapes and Feeding Territories conference, scheduled for 9–10 October. Sessions at ZODIAK Warsaw Pavilion of Architecture and the MOST cooperative urban farm explore the relationships between cities, rural areas, food production and spatial planning. The Warsaw meeting forms part of a wider project that also includes a conference in Brussels.
On 12–13 October, Warsaw University of Technology will organise the II International Scientific-Technical Conference “Revitalization and Land Development of Post-Industrial and Degraded Areas”. Topics include the regeneration of post-industrial sites, land reclamation, the circular economy, BIM and investment management.
Wrocław: political science and responsible artificial intelligence
From 14 to 16 October, the University of Wrocław will host the IPSA Regional Conference. The meeting is organised by the International Political Science Association in cooperation with the Polish Political Science Association and the University of Wrocław.
The conference theme – “Resilience of Democracy in a Polarized World: Populism, Autocratization, and Global Challenges” – covers topics including democratic resilience, media and technology, civic participation, institutions, and environmental and global challenges. The three-day programme features numerous parallel academic panels conducted in English.
A day later, on 15 October, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences will host the AI-THOS 2026 International Conference – Responsible AI in Action: Research, Education and Innovative Teaching. The meeting concludes an international project dedicated to the ethics of artificial intelligence, research integrity and the responsible use of AI in higher education.
Poznań: humanities and more than 1,000 participants at CETEF’26
On 16–17 October, Adam Mickiewicz University will organise the international conference “Literature, Language and Cultural Heritage of the Sinti and Roma in School and Higher Education in Poland and Germany: A Comparative Perspective”. The project connects academic communities from Poland and Germany, with researchers from other European countries also taking part.
The 5th Central European Technology Forum – CETEF’26 will operate on a considerably larger scale. The event will take place on 19–20 October at the Lecture and Conference Centre of Poznań University of Technology.
Organisers expect more than 1,000 participants representing academia, the high-tech industry, public administration and European institutions. The programme covers technologies of strategic importance to Europe – from energy and transport to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum technologies and the space sector.
Rzeszów: international scientific communities and young researchers
The University of Rzeszów will host the 15th International Conference of the International Martial Arts and Combat Sports Scientific Society – IMACSSS, taking place from 14 to 16 October together with the 6th World Scientific Congress of Combat Sports and Martial Arts.
The programme includes plenary and thematic sessions, workshops and the IMACSSS General Assembly, combining the scientific programme with the formal meeting of the international association.
The second October event is RIMSA Congress 2026, scheduled for 23–24 October. The congress of the Rzeszow International Medical Students’ Association is aimed at students, doctoral candidates and young researchers in medicine and health sciences. Participants from international universities may also present their research online.
Łódź: a European network for social work research
On 14–15 October, the University of Łódź will welcome participants in the annual conference of the European Research Institute for Social Work – ERIS 2026.
This year’s theme – “Social Work Research in the Context of Social Divisions: Knowledge, Practice, and Change” – addresses the impact of contemporary social divisions on social work research and practice. The main conference programme is complemented by events scheduled before and after the conference.
Katowice: 67th International Welding Conference
From 13 to 15 October, the International Congress Centre in Katowice will host the 67th International Welding Conference, “Modern Welding in the Era of Nuclear Energy”.
The conference dates back to 1953. This year’s programme focuses on welding technologies, nuclear energy and the safety of industrial processes. The meeting is organised by Łukasiewicz – Upper Silesian Institute of Technology, with sessions taking place alongside ExpoWELDING.
Gdynia: cities from the Baltic Sea region meet on the Baltic coast
From 7 to 9 October, Gdynia will host the Union of the Baltic Cities Learning Cities Commission Meeting and Conference.
The three-day programme combines a UBC commission meeting, a conference devoted to education and skills for the future, and study visits. Participants include representatives of cities belonging to the Union of the Baltic Cities, educators and specialists in education policy.
The programme also makes use of the destination itself. On the first day, delegates will explore the modernist centre of Gdynia, while subsequent elements include meetings and visits to local educational institutions.
Toruń: Open Science and cooperation between European universities
On 22–23 October, the University Library of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń will host the YERUN Collaborative Horizon: Open Science and Data Management for Global Researchers conference.
Topics include Open Science, research data management and new approaches to research assessment. The meeting is connected with the Young European Research Universities network and the YERUNITY project.
Częstochowa: Karl Dedecius and Polish-German academic cooperation
From 8 to 10 October, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa will host the international conference “Meeting Space: Translation – Reception – Transfer. The Work of Karl Dedecius on the 10th Anniversary of His Death”.
Institutions involved in the organisation include the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), the University of Wrocław, the University of Łódź and the Karl Dedecius Foundation. Sessions will be conducted in Polish and German, with the programme focusing on literary translation, the reception of literature and Karl Dedecius’s role in Polish-German cultural dialogue.
Universities remain one of the pillars of Poland’s congress market
The October calendar stands out not only for the number of cities involved, but also for the role played by the academic community. The Jagiellonian University, the University of Wrocław, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań University of Technology, the University of Łódź, the University of Rzeszów, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw University of Technology and Jan Długosz University are involved in international meetings as hosts, academic partners and members of international networks.
For the meetings industry, events linked to established association structures are particularly significant. Kraków hosts the European Huntington’s Disease Network, Wrocław welcomes the International Political Science Association, Rzeszów hosts the International Martial Arts and Combat Sports Scientific Society, and Gdynia welcomes one of the commissions of the Union of the Baltic Cities. Such relationships create networks of contacts that may also support efforts to attract future international congresses to Poland.
October also confirms the increasingly diverse range of meeting venues across the country. Major congress centres remain an important part of the market, but university campuses, faculties, academic libraries and research institutes also play a significant role. For many specialist congresses, access to the local academic community, laboratories and experts is one of the factors considered when selecting a host destination.
About the monitoring
This overview has been prepared on the basis of publicly available information from event organisers, international associations, universities, research institutions and local convention bureaux. Information is current as of 30 September 2026. The monitoring covers events with a confirmed international profile, with particular emphasis on association congresses and scientific conferences. It is not intended as a comprehensive catalogue of all events taking place in Poland. Attendance figures quoted in the article are drawn exclusively from organisers or convention bureaux. Inclusion in this overview does not automatically mean that an event qualifies for the statistics of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) or the Union of International Associations (UIA).
Recommended reading
- Previous monitoring edition: International congresses and conferences in Poland – September 2026.
- Association meetings market data: Poland moves up in the ICCA 2025 ranking.
- Poland moves up in the global UIA meetings industry ranking.
