Call for Blue Sky Papers
ICMI 2026 is excited to continue the Blue Sky Paper track, an innovative initiative initiated in 2021. This track encourages submissions that push the boundaries of conventional research, challenging existing methodologies, proposing novel theories or applications, and presenting high-risk, controversial ideas. Papers should exhibit deep, interdisciplinary insights, robust argumentation, and a synthesis of ideas from various methodologies. The submission may not exceed four pages in length.
Awards: The first, second, and third place winners will have the opportunity to present their papers at the conference and will be included in the conference proceedings. Their travel grants will be awarded to support their travel to the conference. The CCC sponsors awards to honor the first ($1,000), second ($750), and third ($500) place winners in the form of travel grants. In addition, they will further distribute and publicize the three Blue Sky award papers.
Review: The review of submissions will be handled by Blue Sky Paper Chairs of ICMI 2026: Catherine Pelachaud (CNRS, Sorbonne University) and Timothy Bickmore (Northeastern University).
ACM Publication Policies
ACMs New Open Access Publishing Model. Starting January 1, 2026, ACM will fully transition to Open Access. All ACM publications, including those from ACM-sponsored conferences, will be 100% Open Access. Authors will have two primary options for publishing Open Access articles with ACM: the ACM Open institutional model or by paying Article Processing Charges (APCs). With over 1,800 institutions already part of ACM Open, the majority of ACM-sponsored conference papers will not require APCs from authors or conferences (currently, around 70-75%).
Authors from institutions not participating in ACM Open will need to pay an APC to publish their papers, unless they qualify for a financial or discretionary waiver. To find out whether an APC applies to your article, please consult the list of participating institutions in ACM Openand review the APC Waivers and Discounts Policy. Keep in mind that waivers are rare and are granted based on specific criteria set by ACM.
Understanding that this change could present financial challenges, ACM has approved a temporary subsidy for 2026 to ease the transition and allow more time for institutions to join ACM Open. The subsidy will offer:
- $250 APC for ACM/SIG members
- $350 for non-members
This represents a 65% discount, funded directly by ACM. Authors are encouraged to help advocate for their institutions to join ACM Open during this transition period.
This temporary subsidized pricing will apply to all conferences scheduled for 2026, including ICMI.
Important Dates
| Paper Submission | |
| Notification of acceptance | June 23rd, 2026 |
| Camera-ready papers | July 10th, 2026 |
| Presentation dates | October 6th-8th, 2026 |