Call for Special Sessions​

Important Dates

• Proposals of special sessions due:

• Notification of pre-selection for special sessions:

• Final list of special sessions:

8 November 2024

18 November 2024

14 May 2025

Submissions for special session proposals are invited for Interspeech 2025!

Special Sessions should cover interdisciplinary topics and/or important new emerging areas in speech communication. Submissions related to the special focus of the conference's theme, Fair and Inclusive Speech Science and Technology, are particularly welcome. Proposals should describe why the topic is relevant to the conference regular topics, and if applicable, to the conference's theme.

Each special session proposal must contain the following information:

• Special session title

• Names and affiliations of the organizers (including contact information and a brief biography for each organizer)

• Up to five bullet points on what makes the session special

• A summary (up to one page) stating the importance of the session's topic and objectives. The summary should also explain why the topic is not properly covered by regular conference sessions.

• A tentative list of authors who could contribute papers to the session. Note that with an approximate 50% acceptance rate for Interspeech papers, special sessions should have a minimum of 12 anticipated submissions, unless their format allocates time to other formats than paper presentations.

• Special sessions may have a different format from regular sessions, e.g., panel discussion, longer summary talks, or a mix thereof. The proposal's session format should be clearly defined (panel, oral, posters, etc.).

• Additional or non-standard resources (e.g., data, equipment, poster stands, etc.) needed for organizing the special session.

• A list of recommended expert reviewers (max 20 names), in compliance with the ISCA requirement (https://isca-speech.org/Reviewing)

Proposals will be evaluated by the organizing committee in consultation with the ISCA Technical Committee for relevance and significance to the conference.

Papers for approved Special Sessions must be submitted according to the same schedule and procedure as used for regular papers. Papers will undergo the same review process by anonymous and independent reviewers.

Note that special sessions can run for a maximum of three years in total. If this rule makes your proposal ineligible, we encourage you to organize your event as an Interspeech Satellite Workshop instead.

Proposals as well as any questions should be submitted to the Special Session Chairs: Rob van Son (Netherlands Cancer Institute, the Netherlands) and Heysem Kaya (Utrecht University, the Netherlands) at specialsessions@interspeech2025.org.