An international conference that was subject to a high-profile 'boycott' earlier this year - and previously featured in an Oscar-winning film - is heading to Scotland.
The Scottish Event Campus (SEC) will welcome the world’s leading
mathematicians in 2030, when Glasgow hosts the International Congress of
Mathematicians (ICM) for the first time.
This year's meeting, in Pennsylvania, was boycotted by thousands of mathematicians citing the US's interventions in Venezuela and Iran, the suspension of visas from 75 countries, and the presence of ICE agents across major US cities as contrary to the event's principles of inclusivity.
Despite the protest, the event attracted close to 5,000 delegates.
The congress, which is held every four years, includes
the presentation of the prestigious Fields Medal, which featured in the
Oscar-winning movie ‘Good Will Hunting’.
Often described as the “Nobel Prize of Mathematics”, the Fields Medal is
awarded to between two and four mathematicians under the age of 40 in
recognition of outstanding achievement.
The accolade was a central reference point in the classic
movie which told the story of a mathematical genius hiding in plain-sight and
received a slew of Oscar nominations in 1998 and saw Robin Williams win Best
Supporting Actor and Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Best Original Screenplay.
The successful bid to bring the ICM to Glasgow was supported by academics
from the University of Glasgow, built around a broader and ambitious vision of
accessibility, collaboration and global participation and the message: ‘People
Make Mathematics’.
For the SEC, securing the congress enhances its reputation as a
destination for some of the world’s largest and most influential academic
gatherings. The Campus recently hosted the AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting in
February 2026, attracting more than 6,500 scientists, students and policymakers
to Glasgow. It was the first time the biennial event had been held outside the
United States.
Also in 2026 the SEC welcomed the 63rd European Renal Association (ERA)
Congress, which set an all-time attendance record with 10,680 registrations and
a record-breaking number of scientific submissions.
Dawn Lauder, director of conference sales at the SEC, said: “Securing the
International Congress of Mathematicians is a fantastic achievement for the SEC
and reflects the talent and determination of our team and our ability to
deliver world-leading conferences here in Glasgow.
“ICM is one of the most prestigious events in the international academic
calendar, and the fact that it will be held in Glasgow for the first time makes
this particularly special.”
Dominic McKay, CEO of the SEC, said: “The ICM is a truly global event,
bringing together some of the world’s leading mathematical minds. Our ambition
has always been to put the SEC and Glasgow firmly on the international stage
for major conferences, and this further demonstrates the strength of that
ambition.”
Professor Michael Wemyss, chair of mathematics at the University of
Glasgow, said hosting the congress would be a 'generational opportunity to game-change the
profile of mathematics in the UK, Ireland and beyond'.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
