The global prosthetics, orthotics, mobility and assistive technology community has just three weeks remaining to submit proposals for key programme formats at the ISPO 21st World Congress 2027, which will take place from 22 to 25 March 2027 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The congress, organised by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics, will be held under the theme “A World Connected: Advancing Assistive Technologies for Global Equity.” For clinicians, technicians, educators, researchers, rehabilitation providers, suppliers and policy stakeholders across the IMEA region, the event offers an important platform to bring practical field experience, clinical innovation and regional service-delivery challenges into a global conversation.
The immediate deadline applies to proposals for:
- Symposia
- Instructional courses
- Technical track presentations
According to the official Call for Papers, submissions for these three formats close on Monday, 29 June 2026 at 23:59 UTC. Acceptance notifications are scheduled for Friday, 28 August 2026, with accepted presenters required to register by Monday, 28 September 2026.
Why This Matters for the IMEA O&P Community
The ISPO World Congress is one of the most significant international gatherings for professionals working in prosthetics, orthotics, rehabilitation, mobility products and assistive technology. The 2027 edition is especially relevant for the Middle East, Africa and India-adjacent regions because of its focus on global equity, connected systems and access to assistive technologies.
For many countries across IMEA, the most urgent questions in prosthetics and orthotics are not only about advanced componentry or digital fabrication. They are also about workforce development, service coverage, sustainable supply chains, reimbursement, humanitarian rehabilitation, clinical education, quality standards and practical models for delivering care in resource-constrained environments.
That makes the 2027 congress an important opportunity for regional voices to share evidence and experience from:
- Public rehabilitation hospitals and national referral centres
- NGO and humanitarian rehabilitation programmes
- O&P schools, universities and training centres
- Government disability and assistive technology services
- Private O&P clinics and fabrication workshops
- Digital manufacturing, CAD/CAM and 3D printing programmes
- Mobility, wheelchair and orthopaedic footwear services
- Community-based rehabilitation and rural outreach models
A Chance to Shape the Technical and Clinical Programme
The three proposal categories now approaching deadline each offer a different way for professionals to contribute.
Symposia provide an opportunity to bring together multiple speakers around a shared clinical, technical, research or policy topic. This format may be particularly useful for regional groups wishing to present multi-country experience, health-system challenges, education models or humanitarian rehabilitation responses.
Instructional courses are designed for structured teaching and professional learning. For experienced CPOs, educators, engineers and rehabilitation specialists, this format can be used to share practical skills, clinical decision-making frameworks, service models or technology implementation strategies.
Technical track presentations are especially relevant to technicians, workshop managers, digital fabrication teams, suppliers and product developers. These sessions can highlight fabrication methods, material innovations, component design, orthotic and prosthetic production workflows, digital scanning, 3D printing, CAD/CAM and workshop efficiency.
The official call also includes later opportunities for free paper and poster abstracts and the 3 Minute Thesis student competition, both with a deadline of Monday, 7 September 2026 at 23:59 UTC.
Early-Career Researchers and Students Encouraged
ISPO has specifically encouraged early-career researchers and students to participate actively in the programme. This is particularly important for emerging O&P education programmes across Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, where young clinicians, technicians and researchers are increasingly involved in digital technology, community access, paediatric orthotics, diabetic foot care, trauma rehabilitation and assistive technology systems.
The Call for Papers also notes that abstract triage and mentoring opportunities are available for selected categories, supporting contributors who may be new to scientific research, lack access to mentors, need English-language support or have previously had submissions rejected.
Bangkok 2027: A Strategic Location for Global Participation
Bangkok is a significant location for the next ISPO World Congress. Thailand sits at the centre of Southeast Asia and has a long-standing role in prosthetics, orthotics, rehabilitation and assistive technology training in the wider Asia-Pacific region.
For IMEA professionals, the 2027 congress offers a comparatively accessible global meeting point between Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It also creates an opportunity to strengthen South-South collaboration in areas such as workforce education, cost-effective technology, service models for low- and middle-income countries and equitable access to assistive products.
Submission Deadline
The deadline for symposia, instructional courses and technical track presentations is:
Monday, 29 June 2026, 23:59 UTC
Submissions can be made through the official ISPO World Congress Call for Papers website.
Professionals planning to attend or present in Bangkok can also explore the ISPO World Congress homepage and multimedia resources for promotional materials, logos, banners and event updates.
For CPOs, technicians, educators, researchers and rehabilitation leaders across the IMEA region, this is a timely opportunity to ensure that regional experience, innovation and service-delivery realities are represented in one of the world’s most important prosthetics, orthotics and assistive technology forums.
- ISPO 21st World Congress 2027 homepage
- ISPO World Congress 2027 Call for Papers
- ISPO Call for Papers news announcement
- ISPO World Congress multimedia resources
- International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics