Festival of Computing (2026)

The Festival of Computing is a celebration event that brings people together.  It provides students space to showcase their excellent work, to explore current themes in the discipline, connect with employers, and make topics and themes accessible to the wider community though a wide range of activities, and events. 

The 2026 Festival of Computing runs from March to September and includes activities and events across the discipline:

• Pop Maths (March 2026): An exciting and highly rewarding event where children from year six to year thirteen take part in fun maths quizzes across four different age groups. The basic format is that we ask 20 questions in an hour – in a pub quiz format and the group with the most correct answers wins. The quiz is followed by talks.

• Women in Tech - International Women's Day (9th March 2026): Celebrating female and non-binary current and alumni students and staff. Guest speakers will share their inspirational career journeys and advancements women are making in the industry, while our alumni panel will reflect upon their journey from joining the University to pursuing their dream career in technology, and how their gender has shaped that future. There will be a networking session and poster presentations with awards.

• IT Management and Business & Technology Showcases (17th April 2026): The event brings together industry leaders, distinguished graduates, and academic insight to share professional journeys and empower the next generation of digital leaders. Our postgraduate students will showcase the latest advances in digital transformation, alongside undergraduate poster presentations focused on Business Architecture integrating strategy capabilities and processes. From enterprise technologies such as SAP, powering 87% of the world’s transaction revenue, to emerging solutions driving organisational agility and societal change, the festival highlights the real-world impact of modern digital systems.

• FutureTech Appathon + PG Computing Research Showcase (30th April 2026): A one-day challenge to get hands-on and build something fun, useful, or a little unexpected. Team up, experiment with real tech, and see what ideas you can turn into reality in just a few hours. You don’t need to be a pro, just curious and willing to have a go. A relaxed day to try something new, meet people who like tinkering, and surprise yourself with what you can create. Find out more and register at https://futuretech-appathon.web.app

• Data Analytics & Mathematics Showcase (5th May 2026): This year’s event explores what happens when you combine complex data with real-world problem solving and a showcase to see what students have built. It will feature interactive poster displays of student-driven projects tackling real challenges alongside industry guest speakers and returning alumni to share insights on current tech trends and what employers are looking for. The event rounds off with an alumni Q&A panel looking at areas including placements, graduate roles, and life after university.

• Robotics Expo (7th May 2026): What happens when final-year Computing students turn ideas into machines? You get robots that move, sense, decide, and solve problems that matter. At this year’s Robotics Expo, final year students will demonstrate hands-on solutions to real-world challenges using physical computing, robotics, and intelligent systems. 

• Computer Science & Software Engineering Showcase (7th May 2026): The third Computer Science and Software Engineering showcase to explore interactive, student-driven projects that tackle real world challenges using cutting-edge technology in collaboration with industrial partners.

• Next Gen Cyber Showcase (14th May 2026)

• Computing Foundation Year Showcase (14th May 2026): A celebration of the work the foundation students have been doing over the last academic year. Expect a variety of student driven projects that explore areas of computing they are passionate about.

• Computer Games "Game Over 26" (15th May 2026): The ultimate celebration of creativity and next generation talent from students across our Games@Hallam courses. Featuring over 100 students from every year of study, this showcase features bold original game ideas, cutting edge technology, novel interactive projects, and playable game demos.

• Festival of Artificial Intelligence (21st May 2026): The perfect place to experience the creativity and research energy that define our AI community, from seeing emerging technologies to exploring collaboration opportunities.  Students will present projects across impactful areas of modern AI, such as image processing, natural language processing, robotics, explainable AI, and neuromorphic computing.

• Demystifying Quantum Computing (30th June 2026)

• Cyber Innovation Showcase (17th September 2026)

Check back for more information, and follow our social media for updates:

Previous Festival of Computing pages:

• Festival of Computing - 2025