Call for Local Meetups

Interested in organizing a local meetup? Click the button below to submit a proposal:

• Local Meetup Proposal Form

What are local meetups?

The Learning on Graphs conference (LoG) is an annual research conference that covers areas broadly related to machine learning on graphs and geometry, with a special focus on review quality. LoG 2026 will be taking place on 20th – 22nd November 2026 in person at Northeastern University in Boston (US).

At the same time, LoG aims to continue its tradition of supporting a ‘network’ of local meetups around the world. This decision builds upon the success and positive reception of the past editions. The objective is to provide local, small-scale follow-up events to the main LoG conference, bringing together participants from the same geographic area to enhance their social experience and foster discussion and collaboration.

We are now looking for in-person local meetup organisers! Our aims with local meetups are:

• Provide a social venue for LoG participants by geographic area.
• Engage and bring together local research communities around machine learning on graphs and geometry.
• Potentially allow local attendees to engage with each-other’s research in addition to LoG’s program, e.g. via poster sessions or lightning talks.

Important dates:

• Deadline for submitting a proposal: Anytime
• Notification of acceptance: ~2/3 weeks after submission.
  

How to format the event: While meetup organisers will be given creative freedom over the format, schedule, venue, etc. of local events, all officially endorsed meetups are governed by the LoG code of Conduct. All meetup activities are considered to be self-funded by the local meetup.

Candidate organisers can consider having:

• Website of the main event (recommended).
• Single or multiple-day event.
• Invited talks and orals
• Poster session including preliminary and already accepted work (also from other venues).
• Coffee breaks and other social events.

Meetup requirements:

• An online website of the event.
• Duration: scheduled events may last up to two days. However, organizers may extend an event to three working days if the first morning and the last afternoon are left free to allow for arrivals and departures.
• Timing: anytime before June 30th 2026, such that the meetup does not overlap with the main conference (namely, meetups are not allowed during the period 12-29 November, 2026)

How will proposals be judged:

• Local community engagement.
• Content and events proposed (e.g., hosting local speakers, poster sessions, website, schedule etc.)
• Organising team (e.g., past organisation experiences, expertise, ability to gather people, etc.)
• Amount of attendee registration fee, and how organisers plan to spend the money (see Funding the meetup)
• Promoting diversity and inclusion.
• Geographic distribution: we aim to spread meetups across different areas, so we’ll avoid approving multiple meetups in the same location or in places very close to one another.

What LoG will provide to local meetups:

• Publicity and promotion of your local meetup via our website and social channels.
• Featured as local meetup organisers on our website.

Funding the meetup: While we strive to keep all LoG events as accessible as possible, charging a modest registration fee can provide resources to support your meetup. We do not object to this practice in principle but want to ensure it aligns with our commitment to inclusivity, with the following constraints:

• Declaration: Registration fees must be mentioned in the application form, including (1) the amount you intend to charge, (2) how the money will be collected, (3) how the funds will be utilized, and (4) whether there is a plan to provide reduced-fee access for participants in need.
• Fee Limits: Registration fees should be kept reasonable. As a general guideline, we recommend that the amount per attendee not exceed 35 EUR/USD per day..
• Participants in Need: We encourage you to dispose of an option allowing reduced-fee access for participants facing financial constraints.
• Fundraising: Fees must be collected by official and authorized bodies, like University offices. We discourage collecting the money in private bank accounts.
• Receipts: Official receipts must be issued to attendees for their records and to facilitate reimbursement processes.
• Use of Funds: Collected fees should be used solely to cover costs directly associated with the meetup (e.g., venue rental, refreshments, materials). Any surplus funds should be managed responsibly and, if possible, reinvested into future community events or initiatives.
• Code of Conduct: LoG declines all responsibility for the management and use of the funds raised.

We encourage organisers to seek sponsors as early as possible to cover the event’s expenses to guarantee the event is as accessible as possible.

Thank you for your interest in contributing to the success of our conference!

For other questions, please contact us at logconference@googlegroups.com