15.1.2024 

The annual IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP) will be held in Tampere on 13–17 September 2026. The event will bring to Tampere more than a thousand international experts from academia and industry to discuss the latest advances in the fields of image and video processing and computer vision.

The event is organised by the Signal Processing Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s largest professional organisation in the field of technology. The international organising committee includes many researchers and professionals from Tampere University and local imaging companies.

Tampere has been a cradle of technology and product development in imaging for more than three decades. At present, there are more than 30 imaging companies of various sizes and specialities in Tampere that are locally born and multinationals.

Tampere University, through its Imaging Research Platform has set imaging research as one of its strategic profiling areas with the aim of establishing the University as an international leader in imaging research and higher education. The University has many top researchers in imaging who make significant contributions to the field. 

“ICIP is a flagship conference of the world’s most influential organisation in technology. It is highly regarded by the signal processing community worldwide and its annual venue and organisers are selected through a demanding and competitive process. Having the conference in Tampere is a significant proof of the high level of our research in the field of imaging. We are proud of this achievement. Tampere is one of the world’s most famous imaging and image processing centres”, says Jarmo Takala, Vice President of Tampere University.

“The conference confirms and strengthens Tampere’s position as one of the world’s leading R&D hubs in imaging. Tampere is the best place for the worldwide community to experience the unique concentration of knowledge and expertise in imaging and image processing,” says Professor Atanas Gotchev from the Signal Processing Research Center at Tampere University, who chairs the organising committee.

Companies, research and education institutions, and professionals involved in the development and application of imaging technologies are all networking through the Tampere Imaging Ecosystem Initiative (TIMES).

The aim of the Ecosystem is to speed up innovation and foster cooperation and business opportunities in the field of imaging. This remarkable symbiosis between academic research and industrial development has been decisive for selecting Tampere as the IEEE ICIP venue in 2026.

“This is the largest international imaging event we have attracted in recent years. It is not only an excellent way for us to showcase Tampere’s design capabilities to an international audience, but also a priceless networking opportunity for our local companies, to get to meet leading experts from all around the globe,” explains Oliver Hussey, Senior Business Advisor from Business Tampere.
 

Tampere’s beauty, closeness to nature and great travel connections were among the other factors determining the successful bid. The City of Tampere has made the hosting of premier international congresses a top priority. A competent and dedicated team at Tampere Convention Bureau professionally supports congress organisers to get the most of the lovely city. 

“Tampere is a city of science and research that offers a versatile setting for world-class congresses. We find it very important that our city is a place where the research community and companies meet, and we strive to continue Tampere’s tradition as a centre of high technological competence,” explains Teppo Rantanen, Executive Director of Growth, Innovation and Competitiveness at the City of Tampere.