From 6 to 9 October 2026, Maastricht will be the backdrop for the 54th edition of the prestigious International Continence Society (ICS) conference, a leading worldwide conference in continence care. Over 2,000 participants from every corner of the world will congregate at MECC Maastricht for a multidisciplinary exchange of scientific insights, innovative treatment methods and practical workshops.
Organised annually, the ICS conference has previously been held in cities such as Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, Florence, Madrid, Toronto, Montreal, Melbourne and Las Vegas. The choice of Maastricht as a host city is not by chance: centrally located in Europe, the city offers excellent opportunities to cooperate with Belgian partners as well as the Maastricht University Medical Centre+ (MUMC+), an internationally recognised centre of expertise in urology and functional disorders of the pelvic floor and bladder.
The central theme of ICS 2026 will be ‘Continence care in the broadest sense’. The conference targets a broad audience: doctors, researchers, nurses, policymakers, companies, physiotherapists, patients and even veterinarians. This extensive representation highlights the multidisciplinary nature of the conference, the goal of which is to share scientific insights, innovative treatment methods and practical workshops to advance continence care worldwide. This is a reflection of the complexity and social relevance of continence issues.
Recent European research, including the Urge to Act project, shows that incontinence affects millions of people worldwide and that the problem is only worsening as a result of ageing populations. In addition, the use of absorbent incontinence products has a considerable impact on the environment. ICS 2026 provides a platform to collectively address these urgent medical and environmental challenges.
The conference is organised by the International Continence Society (ICS) in collaboration with the local organising committee, the MUMC+ and MCI (Professional Congress Organiser). The MUMC+ plays a key role as host, co-organiser and knowledge partner. Prominent hospitals from the Netherlands and Belgium such as UZ Antwerpen, UZ Leuven, UZ Gent, Amsterdam UMC, Erasmus MC and UMC Utrecht are also making contributions to the programme.
Prof. Gommert van Koeveringe, urologist at Maastricht UMC+: ‘The most important discoveries that lead to solving medical issues come about by looking and communicating beyond the boundaries of your own medical discipline.’
Prof. John Heesakkers, urologist at Maastricht UMC+: ‘Incontinence can lead to social isolation. By creating connections with other disciplines, we can ensure patients get reconnected to the world.’
The arrival of ICS 2026 emphasises MUMC+’s international position as a tertiary centre with internationally acclaimed research and is seen as recognition for years of commitment and expertise. For the region, the conference will boost knowledge sharing, international cooperation and economic activity.
Photo from left to right:
Charles Beckers – MECC Maastricht Sr. Business Development Manager for Medical Associations, Prof. John Heesakkers – Urologist at Maastricht UMC+, Dr. Desirée Vrijens – Urologist at Maastricht UMC+ and Prof. Gommert van Koeveringe – Urologist at Maastricht UMC+.
