The European Health Management Conference (EHMC) has officially opened its Call for Abstracts for the 2026 edition, inviting researchers, healthcare professionals, managers, policymakers, and academics to submit their latest work in health management. Organised by the European Health Management Association (EHMA), this flagship conference provides a unique opportunity to showcase innovative research, exchange knowledge, and shape the future of health systems across Europe and beyond.

This year’s conference theme, “Future-proofing health systems for a changing world: from strategy to action”, calls for contributions that address the evolving challenges and opportunities in health governance, digital transformation, workforce development, financial sustainability, and regulatory landscapes.

About the Call

The call opened in November 2025 and will remain open until Sunday, 11 January 2026 at 20:00 CET. All submissions must be made online through the official abstract submission platform.

Applicants may submit either:

• A short paper (max. 450 words), or
• A structured abstract (max. 550 words) including:

• Context (100 words)
• Methods (150 words)
• Results (150 words)
• Discussion (150 words)

Authors may be listed on up to three submissions.

Tracks & Topics

Authors must submit their work under one of five core tracks (governance and leadership, operations and practice, workforce and professionalism, finance and economics, or policy and regulations). Within these, submissions should align with themes such as people-centred care, digital transformation, future workforce needs, sustainability and resilience, or improved healthcare access and outcomes. Together, these reflect EHMA’s vision for building health systems capable of adapting to demographic, technological and societal change.

Presentation Formats

Submitters may indicate a preferred presentation type:

• Oral Presentation for completed research with final results,
• Scientific Dialogue for work in progress, or
• Poster, displayed throughout the conference with an optional 3-minute pitch.

Selecting Poster means the committee will consider the submission exclusively for poster presentation, whereas indicating Oral or Scientific Dialogue allows reviewers to assign the format they deem most appropriate.

Awards & Special Highlights

The 2026 programme features several prestigious award categories, including:

• Best European Paper
• Best non-European Paper
• Best Poster
• People’s Choice Poster Award

In addition, the Karolinska Institutet Medical Management Centre (MMC) & EHMC Research Award recognises the best contribution associated with a doctoral thesis in health management. Eligible candidates include PhD researchers in the final phase of their studies or graduates within 12 months of completion.
Outstanding submissions in this category will compete for a €1,000 prize during a dedicated session, with the winner presenting their research during the Closing Plenary.

For the full 2026 Call for Abstracts Guidelines, click here.