金秋十月，东湖之滨，一场关于科学的全民对话即将在荆楚大地开启。2026（第四届）东湖论坛定于10月15日至16日在武汉举行，年度主题为“筑创新高地 强战略支点”。本届论坛由湖北省政府主办，共安排1场主论坛和10场平行活动，旨在以科创为媒搭建跨域交流新桥梁，推动创新资源流动和区域协同，为武汉建设区域科技创新中心、湖北加快建成中部地区崛起重要战略支点提供有力支撑。
10月9日，湖北省政府新闻办召开新闻发布会介绍论坛整体情况。主论坛将邀请国家高端智库发布《武汉科技创新中心指数报告2026》等4个领域研究报告，科学评价武汉科技创新能力变化，监测武汉科技创新中心建设进程。会场内设置多组展板，集中展示获得科学技术奖励的成果、湖北实验室最新成果，以及尖刀工程、医工交叉等项目取得的进展。这些安排进一步凸显了论坛的权威性与前沿性，让与会者能够直观感受湖北科技创新的最新脉动。
初步统计，将有来自多个国家部委、20多个兄弟省份科技部门和国家高新区的200余位外省嘉宾出席主论坛，同时还有10余个国家的30余名外宾参会。相比往届，本届论坛的全国性、国际化特征进一步凸显。通过搭建跨区域交流平台，论坛将推动创新资源流动，促成相关领域合作对接，为湖北链接更多高端创新要素，也为中部地区与全国乃至全球的科技合作打开新窗口。
第八届全国科学实验展演汇演作为平行活动之一首次落地湖北。该活动是国家级科普品牌，将为湖北“科普+科创”融合发展再添浓墨重彩的一笔。通过科学实验展演，论坛把专业科技内容转化为公众可感可知的科普体验，既扩大了科技传播覆盖面，也进一步夯实了科技创新的社会基础，让科学精神在东湖之滨持续升温。
在内容架构上，2026东湖论坛进行了多项优化。论坛在往届“科普+科创+科技人才”的基础上，落实湖北加强金融创新、打造科创金融品牌的要求，新增“科技金融”相关内容，构建起“创新驱动、人才引领、金融赋能、科普强基”四位一体的内容体系。这一变化使论坛议题覆盖从基础研究到成果转化、从人才集聚到资本赋能的完整创新链条，更加贴近实际需求。
本届论坛内容更加务实，聚焦科技成果转化、高端科技人才引进、建设世界一流科技期刊、加快发展先进制造业等重点任务和关键方向，提炼出一批针对性议题。论坛优化各场活动议程安排，重点凸显国际合作、央地协同、区域联动、要素对接、人才引进等导向。通过精准设置议题和高效安排流程，论坛力求把交流成果转化为推动湖北高质量发展的实际动能。
东湖论坛自2023年创办以来，始终锚定国家赋予湖北的时代使命，与武汉区域科技创新中心建设同频共振、同向发力。经过连续四届培育，论坛逐渐成为服务湖北加快打造具有全国影响力的科技创新高地、加快建成中部地区崛起重要战略支点的重要宣传展示与交流合作平台。论坛的持续升级，也反映出湖北在科技创新领域的开放姿态和进取精神。
湖北省科技厅相关负责人表示，将全力把论坛办出特色、办出亮点、办出实效，为高水平建设武汉区域科技创新中心、加快建成中部地区崛起重要战略支点贡献更大力量。从主论坛重磅报告到平行活动务实对接，从科普展演到科技金融赋能，2026东湖论坛将通过一场场高质量的交流与展示，让创新要素在武汉加速汇聚，为中部地区崛起注入新的澎湃动力。
In golden October, by the shores of East Lake, a nationwide dialogue on science is about to unfold in the land of Hubei. The 2026 (4th) East Lake Forum is scheduled for October 15-16 in Wuhan, with the annual theme "Building an Innovation Highland, Strengthening a Strategic Pivot." Hosted by the Hubei Provincial Government, the forum features one main forum and ten parallel events, aiming to build a new bridge for cross-regional exchange through science and innovation, promote the flow of innovation resources and regional coordination, and provide strong support for Wuhan's construction of a regional science and technology innovation center and Hubei's accelerated development as a key strategic pivot for the rise of the central region.
On October 9, the Information Office of the Hubei Provincial Government held a press conference to introduce the overall arrangements. The main forum will invite national high-end think tanks to release four research reports, including the "Wuhan Science and Technology Innovation Center Index Report 2026," scientifically evaluating changes in Wuhan's sci-tech innovation capabilities and monitoring the progress of the center's construction. Multiple display boards will be set up at the venue to showcase achievements that have received science and technology awards, the latest results from Hubei laboratories, and progress in projects such as the "Spearhead Project" and medical-engineering interdisciplinary initiatives. These arrangements further highlight the forum's authority and cutting-edge nature, allowing participants to directly feel the latest pulse of Hubei's sci-tech innovation.
Preliminary statistics show that more than 200 guests from other provinces, including representatives from various national ministries and commissions, science and technology departments of over 20 provinces, and national high-tech zones, will attend the main forum, along with over 30 foreign guests from more than 10 countries. Compared with previous editions, this year's forum further demonstrates its national and international character. By building a cross-regional exchange platform, the forum will promote the flow of innovation resources, facilitate cooperation in relevant fields, link Hubei with more high-end innovation elements, and open a new window for sci-tech cooperation between the central region and the rest of the country and the world.
The 8th National Science Experiment Exhibition and Performance, as one of the parallel events, is being held in Hubei for the first time. This event is a national-level science popularization brand and will add a significant chapter to Hubei's integrated development of "science popularization + sci-tech innovation." Through science experiment performances, the forum transforms professional sci-tech content into a public science popularization experience that is tangible and accessible, expanding the reach of science communication and further consolidating the social foundation for sci-tech innovation, keeping the spirit of science alive by East Lake.
In terms of content structure, the 2026 East Lake Forum has undergone several optimizations. Building on the previous framework of "science popularization + sci-tech innovation + sci-tech talents," and in response to Hubei's requirements to strengthen financial innovation and build a sci-tech finance brand, the forum has added content related to "sci-tech finance," creating a four-in-one content system of "innovation-driven, talent-led, finance-empowered, and science-popularization-based." This change enables the forum's topics to cover the complete innovation chain from basic research to commercialization, and from talent aggregation to capital empowerment, making it more aligned with practical needs.
This year's forum is more pragmatic, focusing on key tasks and directions such as the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, the introduction of high-end sci-tech talents, the construction of world-class sci-tech journals, and the accelerated development of advanced manufacturing, and has distilled a number of targeted topics. The forum has optimized the agenda of each event, highlighting orientations such as international cooperation, central-local coordination, regional linkage, factor docking, and talent introduction. Through precise topic setting and efficient process arrangement, the forum strives to transform exchange outcomes into practical momentum for Hubei's high-quality development.
Since its inception in 2023, the East Lake Forum has always been anchored to the mission entrusted to Hubei by the nation, resonating and working in tandem with the construction of the Wuhan Regional Science and Technology Innovation Center. After four consecutive editions, the forum has gradually become an important platform for publicity, display, exchange, and cooperation, serving Hubei's efforts to accelerate the building of a nationally influential sci-tech innovation highland and a key strategic pivot for the rise of the central region. The continuous upgrading of the forum also reflects Hubei's open attitude and enterprising spirit in the field of sci-tech innovation.
A relevant official from the Hubei Provincial Department of Science and Technology stated that they will make every effort to make the forum distinctive, outstanding, and effective, contributing greater strength to the high-level construction of the Wuhan Regional Science and Technology Innovation Center and the accelerated development of a key strategic pivot for the rise of the central region. From heavyweight reports at the main forum to pragmatic matchmaking at parallel events, from science popularization performances to sci-tech finance empowerment, the 2026 East Lake Forum will, through a series of high-quality exchanges and displays, accelerate the convergence of innovation elements in Wuhan and inject new surging momentum into the rise of the central region.