82nd Biennial International Law Conference, Vienna 2026
International Law Association (ILA) Austrian Branch, University of Vienna.About the Conference
The 82nd Biennial International Law Conference of the International Law Association (ILA) is hosted by the ILA Austrian Branch at the University of Vienna from 17 to 21 August 2026. Convened under the theme “Contours of International Law: Encounters and Evolutions”, the conference brings together international law academics, practitioners, judges, diplomats and students from across the world.
The programme confronts the erosion of the international legal system, the re-emergence of territorial and self-determination conflicts, and emerging challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence and global health. It seeks to keep the possibility of dialogue and cooperation open, and to examine how international law evolves through its encounters with new realities and shifting power dynamics. The working languages of the conference are English and French.
Theme and Plenary Panels
The academic programme is built around six thematic plenary panels that anchor the conference:
- Plenary Panel I – Indigenous Rights and the Rights of Nature
- Plenary Panel II – Authoritative Interpretation vs Arbitral Discretion: States, Tribunals, and the Boundaries of Meaning in Investment Treaties
- Plenary Panel III – International Human Rights Law in a Shifting World: Between Persistence and Renewal
- Plenary Panel IV – Regional Organizations in a Multipolar World: Shaping Global Governance
- Plenary Panel V – From Disparity to Clarity: Redefining the Conflict-of-Laws Landscape in International Arbitration
- Plenary Panel VI – Sustaining Global Monetary Cooperation in an Age of Geopolitical Fracture
Committee and Study Group Sessions
Alongside the plenaries, the conference features more than twenty open and closed sessions of ILA International Committees and Study Groups. These sessions span a broad range of international law fields, including:
- International Tax Law and International Monetary Law
- Diplomatic and Consular Immunities
- Submarine Cables and Pipelines, and Protection of People at Sea
- Space Law and Debris Remediation
- Urbanisation, International Migration and Children in Migration
- AI and Technology Law
- Business and Human Rights, and Sexual and Reproductive Violence
- Global Health Law
- Alternative Dispute Resolution and International Securities Regulation
- Cultural Heritage in Armed Conflict and the Use of Force
- Rule of Law, Sustainable Development Goals, Rights of Nature and Consumer Protection
Who Can Attend
The conference is open to international law academics, practitioners, students and other interested participants worldwide, including participants from India. Membership of the ILA is not required to attend; however, ILA members qualify for a discounted registration rate. Students and early-career researchers are eligible for reduced fees, and a limited number of solidarity (sponsored) places are offered for participants from underrepresented regions.
How to Register
Registration is completed online through the official conference portal hosted on univie.eventsair.com, linked from the conference registration page. Participants select their applicable fee category (ILA member, non-member, student, online or solidarity) and may add optional social and networking events during checkout. Regular registration is open until 21 August 2026.
Registration Fees
Fees vary by participant category and by whether registration is made during the early-bird window (until 28 February 2026) or the regular period (1 March to 21 August 2026):
- ILA Members – EUR 300 early-bird / EUR 350 regular
- Non-ILA Members – EUR 400 early-bird / EUR 450 regular
- Students – EUR 50 early-bird / EUR 100 regular
- Online Participants – EUR 100 early-bird / EUR 150 regular
- Solidarity (Sponsored) Fee – EUR 150 early-bird / EUR 200 regular
Optional add-ons are priced separately: Conference Dinner and Keynote EUR 180, Welcome Reception EUR 60, Heuriger Buffet Dinner EUR 60, and the daytrip to Melk Abbey and Duernstein EUR 100.
Social and Networking Events
The conference is interspersed with networking and social activities that showcase Vienna:
- Welcome Reception on 17 August 2026
- Buffet Dinner on 18 August 2026
- Conference Dinner at the Hofburg Vienna on 19 August 2026
- Embassy Evening and Committee Dinners on 20 August 2026
- Optional daytrip to Melk Abbey and Duernstein Castle on 22 August 2026
ILA Young Scholars Scholarships
Separate from conference registration, the ILA awards Young Scholars scholarships ahead of the conference. A Call for Candidates is issued via the ILA Young Scholars page on ila-hq.org. Prospective applicants should consult that page for eligibility and application details. Academic queries about the conference may be directed to ilavienna2026@univie.ac.at, while registration and accommodation queries go to congress@univie.ac.at.