Tallinn University to Host the International Conference on Informatics Education ISSEP 2026
From 20 to 23 September, Tallinn University will host the 19th International Conference on Informatics in Schools: Situation, Evolution, and Perspectives (ISSEP 2026), bringing together researchers in informatics education from across Europe. The conference is organised by the MIDI research group at the School of Digital Technologies, led by Professor Mart Laanpere.
ISSEP is Europe's only international scientific conference dedicated specifically to informatics education. It showcases the latest research on curricula, programming education, computational thinking, artificial intelligence, data science, and informatics competitions. Papers accepted to the conference have undergone a rigorous peer-review process, with selected full and short papers to be published in Springer's Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series.
The programme opens with an international Doctoral Consortium and continues with keynote talks, paper presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and poster sessions. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit Estonian schools and explore innovative approaches to informatics education and educational technology in practice. On Monday, Estonian teachers of informatics are welcome to participate free of charge in the conference workshops.
The keynote speakers will address the future of informatics education from different perspectives. Professors Juraj Hromkovič and Regula Lacher from ETH Zürich will present an approach to teaching computational thinking that encourages students to discover and develop new knowledge through guided problem-solving rather than simply learning existing solutions. Maria Kütt, Chief Human Resources Officer at Threod Systems, will explore what knowledge, skills, and human capabilities schools should foster at a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the labour market and employers' expectations far beyond the IT sector.
Hosting ISSEP 2026 reflects Tallinn University's strong research profile in informatics education, human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, and teacher education. The conference provides an opportunity to strengthen international collaboration and showcase Estonia's experience in developing digital education and informatics teaching.