With just over six weeks to go until the 8th International Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference (8iYGEC), excitement is building for what promises to be a truly memorable gathering of the global young geotechnical community.

From 11 to 14 June 2026, Graz, Austria will host young professionals from across ISSMGE Member Societies for a conference dedicated to technical exchange, international networking, and stronger collaboration among the next generation of geotechnical engineers. The event will take place at Graz University of Technology, on the historic old campus in Graz, immediately ahead of the 21st ICSMGE in Vienna.

Following the earlier update from the Joint Young Members Austria, preparations have continued at a strong pace, with the organising team advancing both the technical programme and the overall event experience. With the conference now approaching rapidly, 8iYGEC is moving from planning into the final stage before welcoming delegates to Austria.

The conference will once again provide a valuable platform for young geotechnical engineers to present ideas, share experiences, engage in technical discussions, and build lasting international connections within the ISSMGE community.

At this stage, the keynote line-up offers an exciting preview of the quality and breadth of the programme. Confirmed keynote speakers include Sergei Terzaghi, Lidija Zdravkovi, Kenichi Soga, and Robert Thurner, bringing perspectives that span professional practice, numerical methods, observational approaches, and risk in geotechnical engineering.

Further information regarding the conference, including updates on the program and organizational details, is available at: iygec2026.tugraz.at

The organizing team looks forward to welcoming participants to Graz for this important gathering of the next generation of geotechnical engineers.