The aim of the IDEAS series of symposiums is to address the engineering and application aspects of databases. The symposium provides an international forum for discussion of the problems of engineering data drivend systems involving not only database technology but the related areas of information retrieval, multimedia, human machine interface and communication. The goal of IDEAS is to foster closer interaction among the industrial, research and user communities and provides an excellent opportunity for them to meet, discuss ideas, examine the current ones and develop new solutions and research directions. Along with the technical sessions, the symposium also features prominent invited speakers.

IDEAS series of symposiums are scheduled annually and have been held since 1997 in North America, Europe and Asia. It has attracted participants from governmental and non-governmental agencies, industries, and academia to exchange ideas and share experiences. In 2026, IDEAS will be hosted by Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, from May 20–22.