Robust-IR @ SIGIR 2025: The First Workshop on Robust Information Retrieval

TL;DR

The paper addresses the fragmentation of robustness research in information retrieval by proposing the first SIGIR workshop dedicated to robust IR, organized around five pillars: Theory, Evaluation, Method, Application, and Society Impact. It outlines a comprehensive, interactive, full-day format including keynotes, panels, and roundtables to foster cross-disciplinary exchange and practical insight. Key topics include adversarial and OOD robustness, game-theoretic analyses, competitive search, PRP considerations, and robustness in RAG systems, with detailed plans for governance through organizers and a broad PC. The workshop aims to accelerate the development of robust, trustworthy IR systems by bridging academia and industry and establishing shared evaluation benchmarks and methodologies for real-world deployment.

Abstract

With the advancement of information retrieval (IR) technologies, robustness is increasingly attracting attention. When deploying technology into practice, we consider not only its average performance under normal conditions but, more importantly, its ability to maintain functionality across a variety of exceptional situations. In recent years, the research on IR robustness covers theory, evaluation, methodology, and application, and all of them show a growing trend. The purpose of this workshop is to systematize the latest results of each research aspect, to foster comprehensive communication within this niche domain while also bridging robust IR research with the broader community, and to promote further future development of robust IR. To avoid the one-sided talk of mini-conferences, this workshop adopts a highly interactive format, including round-table and panel discussion sessions, to encourage active participation and meaningful exchange among attendees.