[{"jcr:title":"Insper will host a global event on agile methodologies in April 2026","cq:tags_0":"area-de-conhecimento:ciência-da-computação"},{"richText":"Professor Graziela Tonin, Program Director of the Computer Engineering program, is part of the governance of the XP Conference, which will be held in Latin America for the first time in 26 years","authorDate":"16/12/2025 16h27","author":"Bruno Toranzo","madeBy":"Por","tag":"area-de-conhecimento:ciência-da-computação","title":"Insper will host a global event on agile methodologies in April 2026","variant":"imagecolor"},{"jcr:title":"transparente - turquesa - vermelho"},{"themeName":"transparente - turquesa - vermelho"},{"containerType":"containerTwo"},{"jcr:title":"Grid Container Section","layout":"responsiveGrid"},{"text":"In April 2026, the Insper campus in São Paulo will host [XP 2026](https://conf.researchr.org/home/xp-2026) , the world’s leading conference on agile methodologies applied to software development. This will be the first time in 26 years that the event is held in Latin America—and only the second time in the Americas, following an edition in Canada. Professor [Graziela Tonin](https://www.insper.edu.br/pt/docentes/graziela-simone-tonin) , Program Director of the Insper's [Computer Engineering](https://www.insper.edu.br/pt/cursos/graduacao/engenharia/engenharia-de-computacao) program, is one of the protagonists of this achievement. In addition to leading the effort to bring XP to Brazil, she has joined the conference’s Steering Committee, the Scientific Steering Committee responsible for guiding the event’s academic and technical direction. This international group decides the location of the next conference, approves the general chairs, themes, and tracks, defines evaluation criteria, and ensures the scientific rigor and relevance of the discussions throughout the conference. For Graziela, bringing XP to campus is a milestone both for the agility community and for Insper itself. “For the first time, we are bringing to Insper a world-class reference conference in the field of computing. This places us among the few institutions in the world that have hosted XP and positions the school at the top in this area as well,” summarizes the professor. XP 2026 will take place from April 8 to 11, 2026, with the expectation of bringing together around 300 senior professionals from industry and academia, coming from various countries. The conference combines scientific rigor—through papers reviewed by international committees—with a strong presence of industry practitioners, creating an environment of intense exchange about the present and future of agility. From Extreme Programming to Global Agility The conference is called XP because it originated around Extreme Programming, a method created by renowned American consultant Kent Beck and considered revolutionary in the way software is developed. “XP brings a set of very concrete best practices, such as pair programming, test-driven development, continuous integration, short delivery cycles, and a concern for a sustainable work pace,” explains Graziela. The idea is to create a mentally healthy environment for teams working in a primarily intellectual activity, software development, while following good programming practices to ensure software quality, maintenance, and evolution. The first edition of the conference took place in 2000, in Europe, at a time when these ideas were still taking shape. Interestingly, it predates by one year the Agile Manifesto, published in 2001, which consolidated principles and values common to different agile project management methods. “Even before the Agile Manifesto existed, there was already a conference in Europe to discuss these approaches, especially Extreme Programming. Over time, XP stopped being a space only about XP and became a forum to discuss agile methodologies in general,” says Graziela. Today, agile methodologies are the most widely used in the world for managing technology projects and, increasingly, projects in other fields as well. In this context, XP has become the world’s leading conference in the area: a forum where researchers and practitioners meet annually to present papers, report experiences from real teams, propose workshops, and reflect on how to organize teams, products, and businesses in an agile way. Historically, the conference has been more heavily attended by participants from Europe and nearby countries, partly due to travel costs and registration fees. Bringing the event to São Paulo changes this scenario and opens the door to greater participation from the Latin American community. “We have a very strong community in Brazil and Latin America, both of practitioners and scientists. It is an opportunity to show how we use these methodologies here, in contexts that are often more complex than those we see in Europe, with very different characteristics,” says Graziela. For her, including more voices from the region is not only about expanding the reach of the event, but also about enriching its content by bringing in problems, solutions, and realities that are still underrepresented in global debates. Theme, tracks, and participation opportunities The theme chosen for the 2026 edition is “Expanding Agile: Transforming today, shaping a sustainable and inclusive tomorrow.” The phrase summarizes issues that have been gaining momentum worldwide. “We are at a moment when technologies are changing very quickly, altering the competencies and skills required to build software. The question is: where does agility fit into this new world?” says Graziela. She takes part in international discussions that seek precisely to reflect on the future of agility amid deep transformations, such as the advancement of artificial intelligence in software teams. In addition to technology, other topics are expected to feature prominently at XP 2026: gender and diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), inclusion in technology teams, and the relationship between software development, sustainability, and social impact. “Agile has always been very much about collaboration, exchange, and teamwork. This aligns perfectly with Insper’s philosophy, which is to create sustainable solutions with awareness of their impact on the world,” comments Graziela. In this sense, the conference theme directly connects with agendas that are already central to the institution, such as sustainability, inclusion, and diversity. XP 2026 will be structured into different tracks, welcoming both academic work and industry contributions. There is space for scientific papers, experience reports, workshops, tutorials, posters, and specific tracks for doctoral students and early-career researchers. Deadlines vary according to each track, but most submissions are due by early 2026; in some cases, such as experience reports, the deadline extends to January 3. In addition to submitting work, it is possible to get involved through the volunteer program, with applications open on the conference website. Selection tends to be competitive, precisely because of the interest the event generates. Volunteers work in the day-to-day operation of the conference, supporting speakers, helping organize sessions, handling logistics, and welcoming international participants who are unfamiliar with Brazil. It is a way to experience the behind-the-scenes of a high-level international event, in direct contact with experts from around the world. Students also have guaranteed space. There are tracks for posters and for work-in-progress research, with an evaluation rigor appropriate for those in training, such as undergraduate research students, Master's students, and Ph.D. students. “It is a chance for young researchers to present what they are doing, receive feedback, and begin to build an international trajectory in the field,” highlights Graziela. At Insper, even professors from areas that do not work directly with agile methodologies, such as artificial intelligence or data science, can engage with the conference by submitting studies that dialogue with software engineering, team management, and product development. The professor has been encouraging colleagues to bring data, experiences, and projects that can connect with these themes, expanding the institution’s presence in the program. To learn more about XP 2026, check the program details, submission deadlines, and volunteer registration, visit the [conference’s official website](https://conf.researchr.org/home/xp-2026) ."}]