BROADENING PARTICIPATION (BP)
BROADENING PARTICIPATION (BP) The CVPR community is strongly committed to addressing issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion at our conference. Diversity has many dimensions, including gender, race, ethnicity, age, disabilities, religious belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and cultural background. There is no place for hatred and discrimination in the CVPR community or elsewhere. For CVPR 2026, the BP Chairs are working with other members of the organizing committee to help foster a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable conference. Specifically, we will encourage the following: improved diversity and inclusion in workshop and tutorial organizers and invited speakers by including diversity, equity, and inclusivity as part of the evaluation criteria; the submission of workshop and tutorial proposals that examine problems in equity, diversity, and inclusion from a technical perspective; networking events and support for affinity groups that are specifically aimed at building and nurturing networks in communities that are currently not well represented at CVPR; support for students to attend CVPR from communities that do not traditionally attend through travel grants and waived registration fees. CVPR 2026 is committed to supporting students from communities that do not traditionally attend CVPR through registration and travel support. Allocation is based on a combination of need, contribution to the conference, where you are traveling from, the community(ies) you identify with and advisor support. If you would like to be considered for this support, please complete the following travel and/or registration support application . Decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Applications will be accepted until Mar 31, 2026 AOE. If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback related to these efforts at CVPR 2026, or would like to get involved, please contact the BP chairs (Naresh Cuntoor, Deepti Ghadiyaram, Christopher Funk, Michael King, and Roni Sengupta ) by email at cvpr2026-broadeningparticipation@googlegroups.com Successful Page Load
Executive Summary
CVPR 2026’s Broadening Participation (BP) initiative represents a proactive and comprehensive effort to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion at the conference. The BP Chairs are embedding inclusivity into core conference structures by integrating diversity criteria into the evaluation of workshop and tutorial organizers and speakers, encouraging proposals that address equity, diversity, and inclusion from technical angles, and supporting affinity groups and underrepresented student communities via travel grants and waived fees. These measures align with broader academic and industry commitments to inclusivity and signal a tangible institutional shift toward systemic change. The initiative also establishes clear channels for applicant engagement and support, enhancing transparency and accessibility.
Key Points
- ▸ Integration of diversity criteria into evaluation processes
- ▸ Encouragement of equity-focused technical proposals
- ▸ Support for underrepresented students via financial assistance
Merits
Systemic Integration
By embedding diversity evaluation into core conference evaluation metrics, CVPR 2026 moves beyond performative gestures to institutionalize inclusivity as a structural priority.
Demerits
Implementation Complexity
Measuring the impact of diversity criteria on quality or relevance of proposals may be subject to subjective interpretation, potentially raising concerns about consistency or bias in selection processes.
Expert Commentary
The CVPR 2026 BP initiative exemplifies a mature, institutionalized approach to diversity and inclusion—one that transcends tokenism by embedding inclusivity into the very fabric of conference governance and logistics. Unlike earlier efforts that often focused on symbolic representation, this initiative integrates equity into evaluation mechanisms, content programming, and financial accessibility, thereby aligning with best practices in equity-driven event management. Moreover, the inclusion of travel and registration support for underrepresented students is a critical, often overlooked, component that directly removes economic barriers to participation. The decision to involve a multidisciplinary BP chair group—spanning diverse professional backgrounds—further strengthens credibility and ensures broader stakeholder alignment. While challenges remain in quantifying impact or preventing potential misinterpretation of diversity metrics, the initiative’s structure, scope, and intentionality reflect a commendable evolution in conference-level equity advocacy. This model should be studied and adapted by other academic communities seeking to operationalize inclusivity beyond rhetoric.
Recommendations
- ✓ Consider publishing anonymized anonymized success metrics post-conference to enhance accountability and inspire replication
- ✓ Expand the BP framework to include mentorship programs or long-term engagement pathways for participants beyond the 2026 event
