The 27th International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods


17 - 20 November 2026 - Southampton, UK

Welcome to the website of the 27th International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods (ICFEM 2026)

ICFEM is an internationally leading conference series in formal methods and software engineering. Since 1997, ICFEM has served as an international forum for researchers and practitioners who have been seriously applying formal methods to practical applications. Researchers and practitioners from industry, academia, and government are encouraged to attend, present their research, and help advance the state of the art. ICFEM is interested in work that has been incorporated into real production systems, as well as in theoretical work that promises to bring practical and tangible benefits. ICFEM has been hosted in many countries around the world.

This year, the 27th International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods will be held in Southampton, UK. ICFEM 2026 welcomes submissions from researchers and practitioners worldwide to advance the field of formal methods and software engineering.

Scope and Topics

Authors are invited to submit high-quality technical papers describing original and unpublished work in all theoretical aspects of software engineering. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Formal specification and modeling
  • Formal approaches to fault prevention and detection
  • Abstraction, refinement, and evolution
  • Formal verification and validation
  • Integration of formal methods and testing
  • Integration of formal methods and review
  • SAT/SMT solvers for software analysis and testing
  • Practical formal methods
  • Applications of formal methods
  • Formal approaches to software maintenance
  • Formal approaches to safety-critical system development
  • Supporting tools for formal methods
  • Formal methods for agile development
  • Formal methods for human-machine pair programming
  • Formal methods for and with AI
  • Formal methods for Cyber-physical systems and IoT
  • Formal methods for security
  • Formal certification of products
  • Industrial case studies

Registration

Registration Policy

  • Accepted papers should have at least one registration.
  • Registration and payment details TBA

Venue and Accommodation

The 27th International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods (ICFEM 2026) will be held at Leonardo Royal Grand Harbour Hotel, Southampton (87 West Quay Road, SO15 1AG, United Kingdom).

Southampton, a vibrant port city on England's south coast, sits where the River Itchen meets Southampton Water, with leafy parks and waterside walks woven through the city. From medieval walls and historic Old Towns to the modern waterfront and cultural venues, it offers an appealing mix of heritage and energy for visitors.

Program

TBA

Keynote Speakers




Title: TBC

Speaker: Ekaterina Komendantskaya is a Professor in Computer Science at Southampton University and at Heriot-Watt University. She is an expert in methods linking AI and Machine Learning on the one hand, and Logic and Programming Languages, on the other hand. She leads the Lab for AI and Verification (www.laiv.uk). She has received more than £19.5M of funding from EPSRC/UKRI, NCSC, SICSA (including CDT grants). Currently she is leading a £3M EPSRC project "AISEC: AI Secure and Explainable by Construction (AISEC)" and is preparing to start a training program in the new CDT "DAIR: Dependable and Deployable AI for Robotics" in Edinburgh.

Abstract:

TBC.

Workshop

FMAS 2026: The Eighth International Workshop on Formal Methods for Autonomous Systems, FMAS will be peer-reviewed international workshop that brings together researchers working on a range of techniques for the formal verification of autonomous systems, to present recent work in the area, discuss key challenges, and stimulate collaboration between autonomous systems and formal methods researchers. Previous editions are listed on DBLP.

Attractions

Welcome to Southampton, a lively waterfront city shaped by its maritime past and known today for its culture, shopping and easy access to the coast and countryside. From historic walls and museums to modern marinas and parks, there is plenty to explore at a comfortable pace.

SeaCity Museum, Southampton Hahnchen Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
SeaCity Museum (Southampton). If you want a quick, engaging way into Southampton's past, start here. The museum is well put together, easy to follow, and does a great job of telling the city’s port story through real people and real lives.
Tudor house, Southampton Peter Trimming Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0
Tudor House & Garden (Southampton). This is the kind of place that makes history feel close. The house has been standing for centuries, and as you move through the rooms, you can see how each generation left its mark: different uses, different styles, different needs. The little garden is a bonus: it’s calm, tucked away, and a surprisingly nice break from the city.
Solent Sky museum
Solent Sky Museum. Even if you are not an aviation expert, this museum is genuinely fun. It focuses on Southampton's links to flight: big ideas, bold engineering, and the people behind it all. There's enough detail to keep enthusiasts happy, but it's also approachable with clear stories.
Winchester Cathedral Antony McCallum Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Winchester Cathedral (Winchester). Winchester Cathedral is huge, beautiful, and full of small details you can easily miss if you rush: arches, memorials, and quiet corners that feel almost timeless. Give yourself time to wander and look up; it’s worth it.
Winchester Castle Martin Kraft Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
The Great Hall & King Arthur's Round Table (Winchester). A classic Winchester stop, and for good reason. The Great Hall has that proper medieval atmosphere, and the Round Table is one of those sights that's both iconic and surreal in person. Whether you're into legends or just like a good story, it's an easy, memorable visit right in the centre of town.
New forest Jim Champion Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0
New Forest National Park (New Forest). The New Forest is an ideal destination for those seeking open landscapes and a quiter pace. Visitors can expect ancient woodland, broad heathland, and ponies grazing freely throughout the area. It is well suited to a relaxed day out, with a range of walking routes and welcoming villages such as Lyndhurst or Brockenhurst for a café stop along the way.

Important Dates (AoE)

IMPORTANT: All deadlines are 23:59 AoE (Anywhere on Earth, UTC-12)

Abstract Submission: June 1, 2026

Full Paper Submission: June 8, 2026

Acceptance Notification: August 8, 2026

Camera-ready Version: September 7, 2026

Conference Dates: November 17–20, 2026

Conference Organizing Committee

Steering Committee

David Basin, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Michael Butler, University of Southampton, UK
Jin Song Dong, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Jifeng He, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Mike Hinchey, University of Limerick, Ireland
Shaoying Liu, East China Normal University, China (Chair)
Kazuhiro Ogata, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan
Shengchao Qin, Xidian University, China

General Chair

Michael Butler, University of Southampton, UK

Program Co-Chairs

Son Hoang, University of Southampton, UK
Étienne André, Nantes Université, France
Qin Li, East China Normal University, China

Publicity Chairs

Asieh Salehi Fathabadi, University of Southampton, UK
Chenyang Zhu, Changzhou University, China

Workshop Chair

Reza Rezazadeh, University of Southampton, UK

Web Chair

Steve Johnson, University of Southampton, UK

Program Committee

TBA