You have submitted your abstract. It has been accepted. Your presentation is taking shape. And now October is approaching.

On 8–9 October 2026, young researchers from different countries, institutions and scientific disciplines will come together at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague for two days of research, discussion, new connections and shared experiences. MCYR 2026 will once again take place in a hybrid format, welcoming participants both in Prague and online.

MCYR is not simply a sequence of presentations and sessions. We aim to create a space where early-career researchers can present their science seriously while feeling comfortable enough to ask questions, exchange ideas, meet people outside their field and enjoy being part of an international research community.

Here is a little of what you can expect.

Whether you are presenting your first research results or sharing a more developed study, MCYR gives you a platform to communicate your work to an international and multidisciplinary audience. Oral presenters will have 10 minutes to present, followed by 5 minutes for discussion, while poster presenters will have their own space to communicate their research more personally and interactively. And because MCYR is multidisciplinary, not everyone listening will come from your exact area of expertise. We see that as an advantage.

A question from another discipline can make you think about your research differently. A conversation after your presentation can reveal a connection you had never considered. Explaining your work beyond your immediate research group is itself an important part of becoming a stronger researcher.

One of the defining characteristics of MCYR is the mix of people and disciplines sharing the same space. The person sitting next to you may study something completely different from you. Talk to them anyway.

Some of the most interesting conference conversations happen outside your own session: over coffee, beside a poster, between presentations, or when someone starts with, “I don't work in your field, but I was wondering…” MCYR is designed to make room for those encounters.

MCYR is a conference for young researchers, but it is also a place to connect with experienced scientists.

Our keynote lectures bring established researchers into the conversation not simply to showcase their careers, but to open broader questions about where science is going, how research can respond to societal challenges, and what responsible and impactful research can look like.

This year, our keynote speakers will bring perspectives on bioenergy and the circular economy and Open Science and research quality, two conversations that reach far beyond any single discipline. And don't be afraid to continue those conversations afterwards. A keynote speaker is still someone you can meet, ask a question, and perhaps even exchange an idea with.

Scientific conferences can sometimes feel intimidating, particularly early in a research career. Is my research developed enough? What if someone asks a difficult question? What if I don't know anyone?

At MCYR, questions and discussion are part of the experience, not something to fear.

You are not expected to know everything. You are there to share what you know, explain what you are discovering, receive feedback, hear other perspectives and grow from the exchange.

The aim is not simply to deliver your presentation and leave the room. Stay for the next one. Ask a question. Introduce yourself to another presenter. Visit the posters. Talk to someone whose research caught your attention. You never know which conversation will continue after MCYR.

Some of the best memories from a conference are not found in the Book of Abstracts. They happen when the formal programme slows down.

Previous MCYR editions have combined keynote lectures, oral and poster sessions with networking and informal moments, including the evening barbecue and bonfire at MCYR 2025.

These spaces matter because networking does not always begin with “Would you like to collaborate on a research proposal?” Sometimes it begins with sharing a table. Sometimes with asking where someone travelled from. Sometimes with continuing a discussion that started beside a poster. And sometimes with simply enjoying Prague with people who were strangers that morning. That is part of the MCYR experience too.

The best people to describe MCYR are the researchers who have already experienced it.

Want to know what it feels like to present your research, meet fellow young scientists from around the world, exchange ideas and become part of the MCYR community?

Our MCYR 2024 and MCYR 2025 recap videos take you inside the conference through the voices and experiences of the people who were there. Alongside highlights from the scientific programme, you will hear participants reflect on presenting their work, making new connections and what they took away from their time at MCYR.

               

Of course, we want you to leave MCYR proud of the research you presented. But we also hope you leave with something you did not necessarily put into your suitcase on the way to Prague:

That is the atmosphere we want to carry into MCYR 2026.

 

Scientific sessions, posters, keynote lectures, awards, conversations, networking, and everything happening in between.

Take a look through the moments that shaped previous editions of MCYR, from formal scientific exchange to the informal experiences that make the conference what it is.

For two days, researchers from different disciplines, institutions and countries will share the same space, presenting their work, asking questions, exchanging ideas and discovering what others are working on.

And leave a little room for the conversations you cannot plan in advance.