Call for sessions | World Cancer Congress

The call for sessions will open on 23 September 2025, and close on 12 November 2025.

What are we looking for?

The Congress is looking for evidence-based session proposals that are introduce new thinking, challenge current approaches to service delivery, and reflect the latest advances in cancer control.

Proposals should with one of the six programme themes.

Submissions from across the cancer community are encouraged, bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to help shape a dynamic and relevant programme..

COUNTDOWN TO CALL FOR SESSIONS OPENING

23 Sep 2025 - 00:00

Perspectives are welcome from across the entire field of cancer, including:

NGOs, foundations and advocates
Patients and patient organisation
Policy-makers
UN and bi-laterals

Economists
Researchers and academics
Health care workers and pharmacists

Private sector & entrepreneurs
Fundraisers
Marketing and communication professionals

CALL FOR SESSIONS – GUIDELINES

1. Process and deadlines

The deadline to submit session proposals is 12 November 2025 at 24h00 CET

The World Cancer Congress 2026 Programme Committee will review the proposals to ensure they address an international audience, and are aligned with UICC's mission and the six programme themes.
Proposals may be accepted as submitted or further developed in collaboration with organisers, including the potential consolidation of similar proposals into a single session.
Note that the number of session proposals received typically exceeds the number of available programme slots. As a result, proposals that are complementary in content may be merged to form a stronger and more comprehensive session. These decisions are made by the Programme Committee. In such cases, one of the original proposers will be appointed as the session lead to help coordinate planning. This does not limit collaboration among all contributors involved in the merged session. All merged sessions will be subject to a new review by the relevant theme Chairs.Session proposals accepted for inclusion in the programme will be formally confirmed by Friday 28 January 2026.
The WCC 2026 Preliminary Programme, including presentations' titles and speakers’ names, will be released online on the Congress website as of Tuesday 15 February 2022.

2. Session topics

All session proposals should be submitted in English only through the online system. Incomplete proposals will not be reviewed.
A ‘Session lead' should coordinate the session, liaising with UICC and the speakers.
All session proposals should come under 60 minutes.
The proposed topic should be relevant to an issue that is of global interest and not pertinent to one institution only.
The proposed session should be aligned with at least one of the proposed themes.
Preference will be given to cross-country, cross-organisation or cross-sector collaboration proposals. To contact experts from other organisations, a list of UICC members is available on the UICC members page.
Each session proposal must present a clear objective and defined learning outcomes.
Participants should come away from a session with new methods, techniques, or practical tools that can be adapted and applied in their respective contexts.
Proposals highlighting innovative approaches and evidence-based practices aligned with the selected themes are strongly encouraged.
Topics previously presented at a past Congress will only be considered if they demonstrate clear and significant progress since their last presentation.
Sessions should prioritise interaction with the audience. A 5-10-minute Q&A discussion at least should close the session.
The Programme Committee will determine the session day, time, and format within the programme. The schedule will be communicated to the session lead and collaborators (or proposers) at the end of April 2026.

3. Speakers

Proposed speakers must be informed that their names have been submitted as part of a session proposal and should be available to participate in the Congress if the session is accepted by the Programme Committee.
The chair/moderator can also take a speaker role within the same session.
Each chair/speaker must have a good command of English.
Upon request, a very limited number of travel grants will be made available for speakers from LMICs (following the World Bank classification). UICC will not provide any funding or honorarium for proposed speakers. Speakers can request in writing for travel grant funding only upon acceptance of the session by the Programme Committee.
All sessions are limited to four speakers and one chair who will benefit from free registrations. To benefit from those complimentary registrations, speakers/chairs will have to register online before 1 June 2026. Passed this deadline, free registrations may not be granted and the applicable registration fees will apply.
The session lead is responsible for confirming all session speakers, and should ensure that any presentations materials are submitted by the specified deadline.