Join the ACM-W Buddy Chapter Program in 2026!
As we close another remarkable year for ACM-W Chapters around the world, we are excited to invite you to participate in — or renew your participation in — the ACM-W Buddy Chapter Program for the coming year.
The Buddy Program was created to spark meaningful global connections among ACM/ACM-W/SIG student and professional chapters. Whether you’re pairing with a chapter nearby or across the world, the goal is the same: to build bridges, share experiences, and strengthen the global community of women in computing.
What Is the Buddy Program?
The Buddy Chapter Program connects your chapter with one or more other chapters in four possible ways:
- Local Buddies (LB): Chapters in your region or state
- Country Buddies (CB): Chapters within your country
- Region Buddies (RB): Chapters across a broader geographical region
- Global Buddies (GB): Chapters from any other part of the world
Your chapter may choose one or several Buddy types depending on your interests and goals.
What Can Chapters Do Together?
The Buddy Program supports flexible and creative collaboration.
- BuddyTech: A technical activity such as a workshop, tutorial, or skills exchange
- BuddyChat: A conversational session (~1 hour) for mentorship, discussion, or shared reflection
- BuddyCelebrate: A celebratory event (~2 hours) to highlight achievements and recognise members
Chapters can follow these templates or design their own activities. Need inspiration?
Explore “101 Ideas for ACM-W Chapters” or the ACM-W Chapter-in-a-Box toolkit.
ACM-W Buddy Summit
To celebrate the ACM-W Buddy project, the participating chapters collaborating on the BuddyTech, BuddyChat, and BuddyCelebrate events will come together virtually to share experiences at theACM-W Buddy Summit 2026! This will be a unique opportunity to share the platform with chapters from around the globe. This summit is in the planning stage and is expected to take place between April and June 2026. The exact date will be announced on the ACM-W website and also via our newsletter.
What Support Is Available?
ACM-W leadership provides:
- Global visibility: Buddy pairs are highlighted on the ACM-W Buddies webpage.
- Newsletter coverage: We love sharing stories about successful collaborations — your activities may be featured in our monthly ACM-W Newsletter.
- Community support: We help chapters connect, match interests, and shape their Buddy plans.
Why Participate?
Being a Buddy Chapter helps your members broaden their global awareness, engage in leadership and event planning, learn from peers across cultures, and celebrate women in computing in a shared and empowered way.
The Buddy Program is an opportunity to make your chapter’s work visible and impactful beyond your campus or city.
Ready to Find Your Buddy for 2026?
Reach out to another ACM-W/ACM/SIG chapter you would like to partner with — local or global — and start planning your Buddy activities for the year ahead.
If your chapter already has buddies, we’d love to hear updates from you.
If you are new to the program, we’ll help you get started.
Share your plans or stories with us at:
acm-w [at] acm [dot] org
Let’s continue building a global network that uplifts, inspires, and showcases the incredible work of women in computing. We look forward to featuring your chapter in the coming year!