Frontiers in Service – Helsinki

The Frontiers in Service Conference is widely regarded as the world’s premier international gathering for advancing service research and innovation. Since its founding in 1992 by Roland Rust—a Distinguished University Professor and David Bruce Smith Chair in Marketing at the University of Maryland—the conference has grown into a vibrant, multidisciplinary forum that attracts scholars, practitioners, and industry leaders from over 40 countries.

It provides a dynamic platform for sharing cutting-edge insights and fostering collaboration across a broad spectrum of service-related fields, including technology-enabled service, customer experience, service management, and sustainability. The event emphasizes both academic rigor and practical relevance, encouraging the exchange of ideas that drive innovation and enhance the impact of service research on business and society. In addition to its extensive program of presentations and discussions, the conference offers specialized workshops and doctoral consortia designed to support emerging researchers, nurturing the next generation of thought leaders in service science.

The Frontiers in Service Conference is proudly sponsored by INFORMS, the American Marketing Association’s Service Special Interest Group (SERVSIG), and the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland, reflecting its strong institutional foundations and global reach.

Conference theme

The 2026 conference theme will be “Serving with SISU: Sustainability, Inclusion, and Societal Uplift”

SISU is the Finnish ethos of steady determination, resilient spirit, and the courage to move forward with heart in the face of complex challenges and uncertainty. It invites attendees to reflect on how service can meet the challenges of our time — and shape more sustainable, inclusive, and human-centered futures.

Key dates

• Paper submission opens: November 1, 2025
• Submission deadline: December 1, 2025
• Notification of acceptance: TBC
• Early-bird registration deadline: TBC
• Conference dates: June 29 – July 2
• Doctoral Consortium June 28 – 29