Important Notice: A Conference Visa is mandatory to attend ETD 2026 in India. Tourist, business, or student visas will not be accepted. Upon arrival, Indian immigration officers will verify your details against the list submitted by IIT Delhi to the Ministry of External Affairs.
🛂
Visa Type
A Conference Visa is compulsory to attend an international conference in India. Other visa categories such as business, tourist, or student visas will not be acceptable for ETD 2026.
✅ Recommended
e-Conference Visa
Apply online at indianvisaonline.gov.in. The fastest and most convenient option for most participants.
⏱ 2–3 Days Processing
🏛 Alternative
Regular Visa via Consulate
Apply through your nearest Indian consulate or via the regular online method. You may be asked to collect the clearance in person once processed.
You will receive an official invitation from IIT Delhi, complete with the institute’s letterhead and signed by the event convenor. This is required for your visa application.
🏛️
Government Clearances
IIT Delhi will secure necessary clearances from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). These will then be forwarded to all international participants.
🗂️
Passport & Visa Requirements
✓
International attendees must possess a passport with a minimum of six months validity beyond the planned date of departure from India post-conference, along with a valid visa.
✓
A specific “Conference Visa” for ETD 2026 is required to join the conference in India. Other visa types will not be recognised for entry.
✓
Upon arrival, Indian immigration officers will verify your details against the list provided by IIT Delhi to the Ministry of External Affairs. The absence of a proper Conference Visa may result in denial of entry to India.
✈️
Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI)
16 km
From City Centre
15 km
From New Delhi Railway Station
20 min
Free Inter-terminal Shuttle
Terminal
Operations
Distance from T3
Terminal 3
International & Domestic (primary arrival point)
—
Terminal 2
Domestic only
Adjacent — walking distance
Terminal 1
Domestic only
~8 km away
All terminals have ATMs, banks, and currency exchange. Full details: www.newdelhiairport.in
💳
Currency & Payments
💵
Indian Rupee (INR)
Indian Rupees are available from any ATM using your international card, or from money exchange centres at the airport. Check current rates on a Universal Currency Converter before travel.
🏧
Credit & Debit Cards
India has a dense network of ATMs accepting all major cards — Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, and others. Most shops and restaurants in the city accept cards.
Best practices for ETDs in the AI eraETD software, platforms & repository infrastructureMetadata standards, interoperability & linked dataSustainable, open & reproducible ETDsDigital preservation, versioning & long-term stewardship
02
The Evolving ETD Lifecycle
End-to-end lifecycle: submission, curation & reuseAI in ETD lifecycle management & repository workflowsAutomation in formatting, validation & complianceIntegration of research data, code & supplementary materials
03
AI in Thesis Creation & Scholarly Writing
Generative AI in thesis & dissertation writingAI-assisted literature review, structuring & translationHuman–AI collaboration in research & academic writingImplications for doctoral education & research training
Responsible & ethical AI in ETD ecosystemsAcademic integrity, authorship & AI-generated contentBias, transparency & explainability in AI systemsCopyright, licensing & intellectual propertyPolicies, governance & institutional frameworks for AI
ETD consortia & global networks (e.g., NDLTD)National & regional ETD platforms (e.g., Shodhganga)Professional associations (e.g., USETDA, INFLIBNET)Library consortia & shared infrastructureProfessional capacity building & global community engagement
09
Policy, Standards & Governance for the Global ETD Ecosystem
National & institutional ETD policies & mandatesStandards for metadata, accessibility & preservationGovernance models for AI integration in ETD systemsCross-border collaboration & shared frameworksQuality assurance, compliance & accreditation
10
The Future of ETDs in the Age of AI
The evolving role of AI in shaping the future of ETDsAI, open science & open repository ecosystemsEquity, inclusion & global access in AI-powered systemsChanging roles of librarians, technologists & institutions
01
Full Papers
Insight Papers
Mature Research & Evaluated Systems
Rigorous, completed work that advances ETD practice, policy, technology, or AI integration. From evaluated case studies to fully implemented systems — this is where the field's most grounded breakthroughs are shared.
15 min
Presentation + Q&A
02
Work-in-Progress
Innovative Lab Papers
Pilots, Prototypes & Early AI Experiments
Emerging ideas, AI experiments, and early-stage discoveries that spark conversations about where ETDs are headed — even before all the answers are in. If it's bold and new, it belongs here.
15 min
Presentation + Q&A
03
Lightning Talks
Flash Talks
One Focused Idea, Delivered Fast
High-energy micro-presentations sharing a single tool, challenge, or innovation. No fluff — just one sharp, focused idea delivered with impact. Designed to ignite conversations and leave the room buzzing.
7 min
Talk · No formal Q&A
04
Poster Presentations
Visual Stories
Research You Can Walk Up To
Visually engaging presentations of research, workflows, platforms, or concepts — designed for intimate, interactive discussion. The jury visits each poster during a dedicated session to engage directly with the presenter.
Poster Session
Jury visit & networking
05
Panel Discussion
Dialogue Forums
Diverse Voices on Ethics, AI & Policy
Moderated roundtables bringing together varied perspectives on AI disruption, scholarly communication, ethics, and the evolving global ETD ecosystem. Open audience Q&A included — expect debate, not monologue.
60 min
Panel + Audience Q&A
06
Live Innovation Challenge
Ideathon
Build, Collaborate, Pitch — Live on Stage
Cross-disciplinary teams tackle a real library challenge revealed at the conference. Librarians, technologists, researchers and students collaborate on-site to design and prototype a solution — then pitch it live in 5 minutes.
5 min
Team pitch · Per team
About the Institution
IIT Delhi
One of India's premier institutions for education and research in science, engineering, technology, and interdisciplinary studies. Established in 1961 and recognised as an Institution of National Importance — and an Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Government of India.
Global & National Rankings
QS World University Rankings 2026
#1 in India · #123 Worldwide
Institution of Eminence
Govt. of India · IoE Designation
1. Foundations & Infrastructure for Next-Gen ETDs
Best practices for ETDs in the AI era
ETD software, platforms, and repository infrastructure
Metadata standards, interoperability, and linked data
Sustainable, open, and reproducible ETDs
Digital preservation, versioning, and long-term stewardship
3. AI in Thesis Creation & Scholarly Writing
Generative AI in thesis and dissertation writing
AI-assisted literature review, structuring, editing, and translation
Human–AI collaboration in research and academic writing
Implications of AI tools for doctoral education and research training
5. Analytics, Metrics & Research Impact
AI-enabled analytics and impact assessment for ETDs
Citation analysis, usage statistics, and Altmetrics in the AI era
Research trend detection, topic evolution, and mapping of graduate research
Assessing societal, policy, and innovation impact of theses and dissertations
7. Innovative, Dynamic & Interactive ETDs
Augmented, dynamic, and interactive ETDs beyond the PDF
Executable theses with embedded data, code, and simulations
Multimedia, 3D, VR/AR, and immersive scholarly works
Living documents and continuously updated dissertations
9. Policy, Standards & Governance for the Global ETD Ecosystem
National and institutional ETD policies and mandates
Standards for metadata, accessibility, preservation, and interoperability
Governance models for AI integration in ETD systems
Cross-border collaboration, harmonization, and shared frameworks
Quality assurance, compliance, and accreditation considerations for ETDs
2. The Evolving ETD Lifecycle
End-to-end ETD lifecycle: submission, curation, preservation, and reuse
AI in ETD lifecycle management and repository workflows
Automation in formatting, validation, and compliance checking
Integration of research data, code, and supplementary materials
4. AI-Enhanced Metadata, Discovery & Access
AI-enhanced metadata generation and semantic enrichment
AI-driven search, discovery, and recommendation systems
Multilingual access, translation, and knowledge extraction
Knowledge graphs, topic modelling, and automated summarization of ETDs
6. Ethical, Legal & Responsible AI in ETDs
Responsible and ethical AI in ETD ecosystems
Policies, governance, and institutional frameworks for AI use
Academic integrity, authorship, and AI-generated content
Bias, transparency, and explainability in AI systems
Copyright, licensing, and intellectual property in AI-assisted research
8. ETD Consortia, Institutions & Support Systems
ETD consortia and global networks (e.g., NDLTD)
National and regional ETD platforms and repositories (e.g., Shodhganga)
Professional associations and support organizations (e.g., USETDA, INFLIBNET)
Library consortia and shared infrastructure supporting ETDs
Professional capacity building and global community engagement for sustainable ETD support ecosystems
10. The Future of ETDs in the Age of AI
The evolving role of AI in shaping the future of ETDs
AI, open science, and open repository ecosystems
Equity, inclusion, and global access in AI-powered ETD systems
Changing roles of librarians, technologists, and institutions
Insight Papers (Full Papers) Mature research, evaluated case studies, or implementation of systems that advance ETD practice, policy, technology, or AI integration. Presentation Format: 15-minute presentation with Q&A Innovative Lab Papers (Experiential / Work-in-Progress) Emerging ideas, pilot projects, AI experiments, prototypes, and early findings that spark discussion about the future of ETDs. Presentation Format: 15-minute presentation with Q&A
Flash Talks (Lightning Talks) High-energy micro-presentations sharing one focused idea, tool, challenge, or innovation in ETDs. Presentation Format: 7-minute talk with no formal Q&A Visual Stories (Poster Presentations) Visually engaging presentations of research, workflows, platforms, or concepts designed for interactive discussion and networking. Presentation Format: Presented during a dedicated poster session at the Poster Site Venue. The Jury will visit the site of the Poster at a particular poster session time.
Dialogue Forums (Panel Discussion) Moderated discussions bringing together diverse perspectives on policy, ethics, AI disruption, scholarly communication, and the global ETD ecosystem. Session Format: 60–minute panel session including audience Q&A
Ideathon (Live Collaborative Library Innovation Challenge) A dynamic, team-based innovation challenge focused on solving practical library-related problems will be posed. The challenge theme will be revealed during the conference, and participants will collaboratively design and develop a prototype or solution on-site. This activity encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration between librarians, technologists, researchers, students, and solution providers. A dedicated workspace room will be provided to support team discussions, design work, and prototype development. A required time slot will be given for this activity. Presentation Format: Teams will present their solutions during the session through a presentation in 5 minutes.
Call For Papers – ETD 2026
ETDs in the Age of AI
Exploring how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the creation, management, discovery, and integrity of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs). The Program Committee of the 29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations, ETD-2026, invites submissions on, but not limited to, the theme "ETDs in the age of AI" and sub-themes as below.
We invite submissions that explore innovations, challenges, and future directions for ETDs in the era of Artificial Intelligence. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Policies, governance & institutional frameworks for AI
07
Innovative, Dynamic & Interactive ETDs
4 topics
Augmented, dynamic & interactive ETDs beyond PDF
Executable theses with embedded data, code & simulations
Multimedia, 3D, VR/AR & immersive scholarly works
Living documents & continuously updated dissertations
08
ETD Consortia, Institutions & Support Systems
5 topics
ETD consortia & global networks (e.g., NDLTD)
National & regional ETD platforms (e.g., Shodhganga)
Professional associations (e.g., USETDA, INFLIBNET)
Library consortia & shared infrastructure
Professional capacity building & global community engagement
09
Policy, Standards & Governance for the Global ETD Ecosystem
5 topics
National & institutional ETD policies & mandates
Standards for metadata, accessibility & preservation
Governance models for AI integration in ETD systems
Cross-border collaboration & shared frameworks
Quality assurance, compliance & accreditation
10
The Future of ETDs in the Age of AI
4 topics
The evolving role of AI in shaping the future of ETDs
AI, open science & open repository ecosystems
Equity, inclusion & global access in AI-powered systems
Changing roles of librarians, technologists & institutions
OCT23–25
Conference Dates
DEADLINE
MAY15
Extended Abstract Submission
MAY30
Notification of Acceptance
DEADLINE
JUN30
Full Paper Submission
MAR30
Early-Bird Registration (Opening)
OCT25
Conference Ends
About the Institution
Est. 1961
Premier Institute of Technology
IIT Delhi
One of India's premier institutions for education and research in science, engineering, technology, and interdisciplinary studies. Recognised as an Institution of National Importance and an Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Government of India.
Institution of Eminence · Govt. of India
QS World 2026
#1India
#123World
NIRF 2025
#2Engineering
#4Overall
ETDs in the age of AI
Exploring how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the creation, management, discovery, and integrity of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs).
The Program Committee of the 29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations, ETD-2026, invites submissions on, but not limited to, the theme “ETDs in the age of AI” and sub-themes as below. We invite submissions that explore innovations, challenges, and future directions for ETDs in the era of Artificial Intelligence. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
ETD 2026 · ETDs in the Age of AI
Sponsors & Partners
We thank industry partners and innovators for supporting ETD 2026.
Silver Sponsor
Sponsor Onboard
About ETD 2026
29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD-2026) is organised by the Central Library, IIT Delhi, in association with NDLTD during October 23-25, 2026. The conference theme is “ETDs in the age of AI”. We hope the conference will stimulate fruitful discussions on artificial intelligence for ETD lifecycle management, discoverability, and reproducibility. The ETD ecosystem is undergoing a profound transformation in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). ETD-2026 emphasises advancing ETDs through AI, a participatory and action-oriented model that embeds AI across the ETD lifecycle management. The use of GenAI, LLMs and other applications to support the most efficient access to ETDs. On the other hand, GenAI text has been increasingly popular in academic research, particularly in the creation of theses and dissertations, raising important questions about academic integrity, authentication, critical thinking, data reliability, ownership and many more.
About the Host
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) IIT Delhi is one of India’s premier institutions for education and research in science, engineering, technology, and interdisciplinary studies. Established in 1961 and recognised as an Institution of National Importance, IIT Delhi is also designated as an Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Government of India. Global & National Rankings • QS World University Rankings 2026: #1 in India, #123 Worldwide • NIRF 2025 Rankings:#2 Engineering, #3 Research, #4 Management and #4 Overall
About the Central Library, IIT Delhi
The Central Library and its 36 Unit Libraries form the knowledge backbone of IIT Delhi, supporting over 13,000 users. Facilities & Infrastructure • RFID-enabled smart library • AI and ICT-based services • Fully automated operations using Koha LMS • Advanced Computer Lab for training and research • Research Support & Outreach • Library Mobile App, Chatbot, etc. The Library also runs national and international MOOCs and has previously served as the headquarters of the INDEST-AICTE Consortium.
About NDLTD
The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) is an international non-profit organization promoting open access, global visibility, and long-term preservation of ETDs. NDLTD works to: • Advance global ETD initiatives • Provide standards, tools, and best practices • Support institutions in making graduate research openly accessible
