Over the last 14 years, it’s been an incredible journey for us, and we hope it has been for you too. Witnessing people return year after year and new friendships forming has been truly special. HUSTEF has evolved into one of Europe’s top software testing and quality conferences, boasting 750+ attendees from 30+ countries. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without YOU – our speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and attendees. Your contributions have been invaluable. We want to express our gratitude for being part of the HUSTEF community and extend an invitation to join us in making the 15th HUSTEF the best conference ever!

The theme for this year is “Pimp Up My Testing Skills.” It’s all about making people’s skills more relevant – both soft skills and hard skills. We’re not just looking for cutting-edge topics. While new practices like AI and its application to software testing are essential, we also want to showcase tried-and-true methods, like risk-based testing and automation patterns (dos and don’ts), that remain valuable for the audience.

Additionally, we’d love to hear not just about success stories but also failures. Often, we can learn more from what didn’t work than what did.

11 May

Submission deadline for intro video (1 min)

31 Aug

Submission deadline for final presentations’ slide decks

The talks that add most value are experience based stories, shared by people who were directly involved in delivering an outcome to their stakeholders.

The greatest learning comes from understanding the outcome required, and the obstacles and challenges that needed to be overcome. The sharing of those experiences, detailing what worked well, and what didn’t work so well, are important to ensure attendees take away new perspectives, ideas and techniques.

Technical & Product related
There are so many different types of challenges we would like to hear about! We welcome submissions that describe solving technical and product problems such as Requirements, Reporting, Automation, Stakeholder Management, Team Structures and Capabilities, Test Design, Test Management, Tooling, Product & Project Risk Management… the list is endless, so we intentionally don’t have a theme for this year’s event, we want to hear all your good stories.

Non-Technical Skills
We are also interested in what people have done to increase their impact and that of their teams. To be valuable to our stakeholders, testers need to provide information to people so they can make effective decisions. It’s therefore important to invest in developing non-technical skills, such as communication, influencing, assertiveness, managing wellbeing, inspiring trust and respect and making / keeping new habits. We would love to hear how you have invested in personal and professional development, why you did it, and what the outcomes have been.

As always,  we want to cater to everyone—from junior and mid-level testers to experts and team leads. That means we’re looking for:

• BEGINNER LEVEL: Beginner-friendly sessions for those new to the field

• INTERMEDIATE LEVEL: advanced content for senior professionals

• ADVANCED LEVEL: Expert content for smaller, specialized audiences

In terms of format, most talks will be 25 minutes, but we’re also open to double-slot presentations for in-depth topics. Practicality is key—presentations should offer actionable insights that attendees can implement. We want to avoid theoretical discussions and instead focus on specific, impactful ideas.

• Length of track talks: ~ 30 mins (25 mins + Q&A)
• Length of tutorials: full-day tutorials (4×1,5 hours) OR half-day tutorials (2×1,5 hours)

Just like in previous years, your talk should not focus on marketing, tooling or service details. Tools and test services can be promoted in the vendor sessions organised for partners. If you would like to be a partner in organising the conference, please contact Csilla Kohl (csilla.kohl@hstqb.org).

Be Clear and Detailed:

• Don’t just describe the problem—explain your solution thoroughly so we can evaluate it effectively. Include tools, methodologies, and specific approaches you used.
• Avoid vague promises like “I’ll share how we solved this problem.” Instead, outline exactly what attendees will gain from your session.

Include References (if applicable):

• Links to past presentations, publications, or video recordings can significantly strengthen your proposal.
• Are you at the beginning of your public speaking career?

Be Mindful of Competition:

• With only 30 slots available out of 270 submissions last year, each slot had about 10 proposals competing for it.
• Submitting fewer, well-thought-out proposals increases your chances. Instead of submitting five shallow ideas, focus on two or three detailed and impactful submissions.

Address Key Questions in Your Proposals:

When preparing your submission, aim to answer the following:

• Who is the preferred audience for your presentation?
  Clearly define whether your topic is geared toward beginners, mid-level professionals, senior experts, or a mixed audience.
• What do you want to share with your audience?
  Be specific. If you plan to share examples, provide a brief overview or summary of them in your submission.
• What knowledge, idea, or emotion do you want your audience to leave with?
  Clearly articulate the takeaways—whether it’s a new skill, a fresh perspective, or inspiration to try something new.

By focusing on these elements, you’ll create a submission that stands out and maximizes your chances of being selected. Here is a great submission from last year as an example – have a look and get inspired how to do present your proposal! 

 Another key aspect we’re focusing on is fostering a welcoming and friendly environment for both speakers and attendees. We’re looking for speakers who are not just there to deliver a talk but are also approachable and open to discussions. We want speakers who are happy to engage with attendees, whether during a Q&A session, in the hallway during breaks, or even over informal chats.

We also value fresh and creative presentation styles. Be bold and connect with your audience—it’s important! What we’re looking for isn’t just a standard presentation but an experience that actively involves the audience.

Consider incorporating interactive elements like:

• Live polls
• Group exercises
• Fun, engaging activities (why not sing a song together?)
• Creative ways to get attendees to stand up, participate, and connect
• Be innovative, be engaging, and most importantly, make your session memorable!

We’re looking forward to your submissions and can’t wait to put together a program that’s relevant, engaging, and inspiring!

>> Track Speakers

• Conference Ticket with full access
• Invitation to the exclusive Speaker Dinner
• HUSTEF covers 2 nights in the hotel of the conference (min. 4* hotel in the downtwof Budapest)
• Travel cost reimbursement up to 400 EUR within Europe, up to 1000 EUR from outside of Europe

>> Tutorial Presenters

• Conference + Tutorial Ticket with full access
• Invitation to the exclusive Speaker Dinner
• HUSTEF covers 3 nights in the hotel of the conference (min. 4* hotel in the downtwof Budapest)
• Travel cost reimbursement up to 400 EUR within Europe, up to 1000 EUR from outside of Europe
• 1000 EUR fee from the 11th participant for a full day tutorial, 700 EUR fee from the 11th participant for a half day tutorial

The independent Program Committee and Review Committee will evaluate all proposals. Please submit your proposals via EasyChair.

Please note that the program, including the slides of accepted presentations, will be made available electronically (video and PDF slides) to participants on the conference website and YouTube channel.

HUSTEF Code of Conduct is strictly enforced and is intended to ensure that all participants including delegates, speakers, vendors, and staff feel welcome and safe.

Szilvia SZALAI

Event Manager