OR68: From Data to Decisions

The OR Society's OR68: From Data to Decisions is an upcoming UK conference bringing together professionals, researchers, academics and practitioners working across operational research, data science and analytics. Taking place from 8 to 10 September 2026 at the University of Nottingham, the three-day event is designed to explore how analytical methods, data-driven insight and operational research can help organisations make better decisions in complex environments.

As the flagship annual conference of The OR Society, OR68 provides an important meeting point for the wider operational research community. It offers participants opportunities to exchange ideas, present research, discuss practical applications and build professional connections across sectors. The 2026 theme, "From Data to Decisions," reflects the increasingly important role of evidence, modelling, analytics and structured decision-making in modern organisations.

The conference is particularly relevant at a time when businesses, government organisations and public services are dealing with rapidly changing technologies, growing volumes of data and increasingly complicated operational challenges. From healthcare and transport to energy and defence, organisations need reliable methods to understand uncertainty, assess alternatives and determine effective courses of action. Operational research provides a framework for addressing these challenges, while data science and analytics offer powerful tools for generating insight.

A Major Meeting for the OR Community

OR68 is designed to serve both academic and professional audiences. The programme includes more than 200 presentations and workshops, together with specialist sessions, lightning talks and poster presentations. These different formats allow attendees to engage with the subject from multiple perspectives, whether they are interested in theoretical developments, applied research, professional practice or emerging analytical techniques.

For researchers, the conference provides an opportunity to share new work and receive feedback from peers. Presentations can help researchers communicate their findings to a broader audience while identifying opportunities for future collaboration. Early-career researchers can also benefit from meeting experienced professionals and academics and becoming more familiar with the wider research community.

For practitioners, OR68 offers the opportunity to discover methods and approaches that can be applied to real organisational problems. Operational research is increasingly used to improve planning, resource allocation, forecasting, scheduling, optimisation and strategic decision-making. By learning from case studies and examples from other sectors, delegates can gain ideas that may be relevant to their own organisations.

From Data to Better Decisions

The central theme of OR68 highlights the connection between information and action. Modern organisations have access to enormous amounts of data, but data alone does not automatically lead to better decisions. Effective decision-making requires appropriate analytical methods, clear problem definition and an understanding of organisational context.

Operational research can help bridge this gap. By combining mathematical modelling, simulation, optimisation, statistics and decision analysis with expert knowledge, organisations can examine complex problems in a structured way. These methods can help decision-makers understand potential outcomes, compare alternative strategies and identify solutions that balance competing objectives.

Data science also plays an increasingly important role. Advanced analytics and machine learning can uncover patterns and generate predictions, while operational research methods can help translate those insights into practical decisions. The combination of data-driven approaches with modelling and decision science can provide organisations with a stronger foundation for tackling uncertainty and complexity.

Learning Through Presentations and Specialist Sessions

A major attraction of OR68 is the breadth of its programme. The event includes a wide selection of presentations and specialist sessions covering different areas of operational research, analytics and data science. This variety means that delegates can explore topics outside their immediate area of expertise while also focusing on subjects closely related to their professional interests.

The programme outline includes parallel sessions, poster presentations and dedicated activities linked to different parts of the OR Society community. Such a structure enables participants to create an individual conference experience based on their interests and professional objectives.

Poster presentations can be particularly valuable for delegates who want to explore research ideas in a more interactive format. They provide opportunities for direct conversations between presenters and attendees, allowing participants to ask questions and discuss methods, findings and possible applications.

Lightning talks and shorter presentations can also introduce delegates to a range of ideas in a concise format. These sessions can help participants discover emerging research areas or practical applications that they may wish to explore further.

Professional Development Opportunities

OR68 is not only a research-focused event. The programme also includes professional development workshops and sessions intended to strengthen practical knowledge and skills. These activities can be valuable for professionals who want to improve their analytical capabilities or develop a better understanding of how operational research can be applied within organisations.

Professional development is especially important as the analytical landscape continues to evolve. New technologies, artificial intelligence tools and advanced data techniques are changing the way organisations approach problem-solving. Professionals working in operational research and analytics need to understand both established methods and emerging approaches.

The conference provides an environment where delegates can learn from people with different experiences and backgrounds. This cross-sector perspective can encourage participants to think differently about familiar challenges and identify new approaches to problem-solving.

Real-World Applications Across Sectors

Operational research has applications across almost every major sector. The OR Society highlights examples involving healthcare, energy, transport and defence, demonstrating how analytical methods can support decisions with significant real-world consequences.

In healthcare, operational research can help organisations manage capacity, improve patient pathways and allocate limited resources. In transport, analytical models can support network planning, scheduling and logistics. Energy organisations can use optimisation and forecasting techniques to improve production and distribution decisions. Defence applications can involve complex planning, risk assessment and decision support under uncertainty.

These examples demonstrate why OR68 is relevant to such a broad audience. The underlying methods may be transferable between sectors even when the specific problems are very different. A technique developed for one industry may inspire a new approach in another.

Networking and Collaboration

Networking is another important element of OR68. Bringing together academics, researchers, consultants, analysts, students and industry professionals creates opportunities for people with shared interests to connect.

The conference programme includes dedicated networking opportunities and social activities. The schedule also includes a gala dinner, providing another setting for delegates to meet colleagues and develop professional relationships.

For early-career professionals and researchers, networking can be particularly beneficial. Meeting established practitioners and researchers can help build confidence, identify potential mentors and discover career opportunities. For experienced professionals, the event can provide opportunities to exchange knowledge, identify collaborators and maintain connections within the operational research community.

Networking can also encourage collaboration between academia and industry. Academic research can provide new methods and theoretical perspectives, while industry experience can highlight practical challenges that require further investigation. Conferences such as OR68 help create the conversations needed to connect these two perspectives.

Supporting Early-Career Researchers

The conference is also relevant to people who are at the beginning of their careers. The OR Society's Early Career Researchers Network identifies OR68 as an opportunity for researchers at different stages to exchange ideas, gain feedback and connect with the wider community.

Early-career researchers can benefit from attending presentations, discussing research with experienced colleagues and learning about different career paths. The conference environment can help them understand current research priorities and identify areas where their own work could make an impact.

The event also provides a useful opportunity for students and emerging professionals to understand how operational research is used outside academic settings. Seeing real-world applications can help connect theoretical learning with practical challenges.

A Diverse and Inclusive Professional Community

OR68 brings together people from different disciplines and professional backgrounds. Operational research naturally crosses boundaries between mathematics, statistics, computer science, management science, engineering and the social sciences.

This interdisciplinary character is one of the strengths of the field. Complex organisational problems rarely fit neatly into one academic discipline. They often require a combination of technical analysis, domain expertise and stakeholder understanding.

By bringing together different perspectives, OR68 can encourage more comprehensive approaches to decision-making. Delegates can learn not only from formal presentations but also from informal discussions and exchanges with colleagues working in other areas.

Why Attend OR68?

There are several reasons why professionals and researchers may choose to attend OR68. First, the event provides access to a broad programme of research and professional content within operational research, data science and analytics. Second, it offers opportunities to develop knowledge through workshops and specialist sessions. Third, it creates a valuable environment for networking and collaboration.

The conference can also help attendees understand how analytical methods are being used to address current challenges. Rather than focusing exclusively on theoretical concepts, the event connects research with practical applications and real-world impact.

For organisations, sending employees to OR68 can support professional development and encourage the exchange of ideas. Employees can return with new perspectives on modelling, analytics and decision support that may contribute to improved organisational practice.

Venue and Event Experience

The conference will be held at the University of Nottingham, with conference talks taking place at the Monica Partridge Building on the main University Park Campus. The venue is located close to Nottingham city centre and provides a suitable setting for a large professional and academic conference.

The programme begins with registration and an opening session on 8 September, followed by plenary and parallel sessions. Across the three days, attendees can participate in presentations, workshops, networking activities and social events before the conference concludes on 10 September.

The organisers have also highlighted accessibility arrangements, with delegates able to communicate accessibility requirements during the booking process. The University campus provides disabled parking and accessibility provisions for delegates with limited mobility.

Final Thoughts

OR68: From Data to Decisions represents an important opportunity for the UK operational research, data science and analytics community to meet, learn and collaborate. Taking place from 8–10 September 2026 at the University of Nottingham, the conference combines research presentations, practical sessions, professional development, networking and real-world case studies.

Its broad programme makes the event relevant to a diverse audience, including operational researchers, data scientists, academics, students, consultants, analysts and organisational decision-makers. By examining how data and analytical methods can be transformed into meaningful decisions, OR68 addresses a challenge that affects organisations across virtually every sector.

For anyone interested in operational research and evidence-based decision-making, the conference provides a valuable opportunity to explore new ideas, strengthen professional skills and connect with a wider community. With more than 200 presentations and workshops, specialist sessions, poster presentations and networking activities, OR68 offers a comprehensive programme focused on the practical and academic development of operational research.