Software engineering (SE) conferences are vital for knowledge exchange and collaboration, yet can also involve significant barriers for researchers in geographically distant regions such as New Zealand. We identify barriers such as high travel costs, misaligned academic calendars, and limited representation, and propose strategies including hybrid participation, cost-conscious venues, and governance reforms. We make recommendations to promote equitable global participation and strengthen the SE research community.

@inproceedings{abs-2603-09035,
  title = {The Future of Software Engineering Conferences: A New Zealand Perspective},
  author = {Kelly Blincoe and Sherlock A Licorish and Judith Fuchs and Amjed Tahir},
  booktitle = {ICSE},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1145/3793657.3793891}
}