Dear colleagues, researchers, healthcare professionals, partners, and friends,

​

It is with a profound sense of honor and responsibility that I welcome you to the 8th IACS International Congress – Challenges and Innovation in Infection Control, which will take place on October 28, 29, and 30, 2026, at EUROPARQUE, in Santa Maria da Feira.

At a time when science is evolving at an unprecedented pace and healthcare challenges are becoming increasingly complex, one certainty unites us: only through knowledge, innovation, and collaboration will we be able to build safer, more resilient healthcare systems prepared for the future.

It is precisely this vision that inspires IACS 2026.

​

More than a congress, we want to create a space where knowledge generates change, where experience challenges innovation, and where each participant contributes to defining the future of infection prevention and control.

We will bring together renowned experts, researchers, decision-makers, healthcare professionals, and national and international partners to discuss the issues that shape our practice today and will determine the care of tomorrow. Artificial intelligence, epidemiological surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, sustainability, the safety of those receiving care, clinical research, technological innovation, and digital transformation will be some of the pillars of a scientific program carefully designed to respond to the challenges of the present and anticipate those of the future.

Each presentation, each debate, each workshop, each informal meeting represents an opportunity to learn, inspire, and be inspired. These are the moments that give rise to new ideas, strengthen collaborative networks, and drive projects capable of transforming clinical practice and research.

That is why I extend this invitation to you. Come challenge established knowledge, discover new perspectives, share your experience, and give voice to your ideas. Come meet researchers and professionals who, like you, believe that excellence is built together. Come and be part of a community that doesn't wait for the future—it helps build it.

IACS 2026 will be a meeting point between science, innovation, and people. It will be a privileged moment to learn, establish new collaborations, and return to our institutions with new skills, new ideas, and renewed motivation to do more and better.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I invite you to join us in this edition, certain that your presence will enrich this congress and contribute to the success of an event that aims to leave a lasting mark on infection prevention and control.

I am certain that, together, we will make IACS 2026 a memorable, inspiring, and truly transformative congress.