All proposals should relate to the overall conference theme and link to one of seven sub-themes.
Full paper: A traditional presentation informed by theory and / or empirical data, which prompts purposeful discussion. Three papers will be scheduled per 90-minute session, providing approx—15 minutes for each presenter and time for discussion. Academic papers should not have been published elsewhere or submitted for publication before the conference.
Quick-fire paper: A less formal option than a traditional presentation. 6-7 presenters will be grouped in a 90-minute session. Each presenter will have 7- 8 minutes to present key ideas from a project, case study, innovation or emerging research, followed by a discussion.
Note: The Conference Committee will be organising a chair for sessions involving paper and quick-fire presentations
Symposium: Symposia can take a variety of formats, offering different perspectives on a specific topic, issue or programme. We encourage imaginative formats as well as more traditional offerings; possible formats include 3-4 related papers, 6 short talks or a facilitated discussion. All symposia should aim to prompt inclusive stimulating discussion. Symposia will be scheduled for a 90-minute slot. Each symposium will require a discussant, chair, and an organiser who serves as principal contact. Please note that all those attending the session will be expected to register and pay to attend the conference.
If the contributions are all from one programme or constituency, the discussant should be external to the programme or from a different constituency. Please be aware that there will be a limited number of programme slots for symposia at the 2025 conference. The Conference Committee will prioritise symposia proposals that reflect critically on programmes and cross-constituency dialogue.
Creative workshop sessions: These sessions can have any format or structure as long as there is a strong focus on people coming together for dialogue, reflection, and learning and will last 90 minutes. Creative sessions need a diverse group of facilitators, and we especially welcome submissions from early-career researchers and professionals.
Posters: We welcome traditional academic/ programme posters that can be displayed in our exhibition space.
Abstract submission: All types of proposals require an abstract. Please see the submission guidelines for the criteria for the different types of proposals.
One-time presentation: We will continue to implement a one-time presentation rule. You can be a named author or contributor on several submissions, but you can only present once. Please plan your submissions accordingly. Symposia chairs and discussants can also present papers in other sessions. It will be possible for individuals to facilitate a creative session and present a paper in another formal session.
Presenter registration deadline: To plan the conference timetable, presenters of accepted submissions, whether presenting in person or virtually, must register by 4 July 2025 to have their contribution timetabled. Failure to register and pay for your place by 4 July 2025 will result in your contribution being excluded from the programme.
The following are guidelines for the types of submissions invited for consideration. The Conference is using the Ex-Ordo abstract submission system. Please follow the instructions on screen during the submission process.
Individual Paper
- 300 words (references are not required but must be included in the word count if used)
- Please indicate whether the abstract is based on ongoing or completed research.
- Please note that these will undergo blind review, so we ask that you do not identify authors in the main text of the abstract.
Quick Fire Paper
- 150 words (references are not required but must be included in the word count if used)
- Please indicate whether the abstract is based on ongoing or completed research.
- Please note that these will undergo blind review, so we ask that you do not identify authors in the main text of the abstract.
Symposium
- 700 words (references are not required but must be included in the word count if used)
- Including: Organiser, chair, and discussant – this information should be at the end of the text.
- Title and author/presenter(s) for each contribution in the session
- Overview of the symposium
- A brief explanation of how the organiser has addressed diversity in the make-up of the symposium members.
- Indicate whether the abstract is based on ongoing or completed research.
Creative Session
- 800 words (references are not required but must be included in the word count if used)
- The abstract should include: Overview of the creative session, including the key message the organisers want participants to take away
- A brief explanation of how participants will be engaged
- Organisers, this information should be at the end of the text
Poster
- 150 words (references are not required but must be included in the word count if used)
- Please indicate whether the abstract is based on ongoing or completed research.
- Please note that these will undergo blind review, so we ask that you do not identify authors in the main text of the abstract.
Abstracts are expected to link clearly to the conference theme and chosen sub-theme.
Avoid including references in the abstract unless essential (but these must be included in the word count if used). Please ensure your abstract adheres to the word count for the type of submission.
Avoid an overly long title for your abstract.
Ensure that the context of your abstract is sufficiently clear, e.g. country(ies) of focus, level of education addressed, type or period of research etc.
Indicate, if appropriate, whether the abstract is based on ongoing or completed research.
Use clear and concise language. The official language of the conference is English. We encourage authors to have their work proofread before submission.
Due to the pressure of space on the conference programme, abstracts will not be accepted after the deadline of 21 March (23.59GMT)
Each abstract will be reviewed by at least two members of the Conference Committee and assessed against each of the following criteria:
- Relevance: Does the submission directly interrogate the conference theme and the chosen sub-theme?
- Originality: Are there new thoughts, arguments, findings, methodologies or ways of addressing the topic?
- Clarity and coherence: How clear and coherent is the submission’s enquiry, activity or conceptual framework?
- Significance: Does the submission consider the potential impact on educational practice, policy, or theory?
- Approach and methods: If applicable, does the submission evaluate the strength and appropriateness of the approach and methods used?
Submissions for symposia will also be reviewed based on diversity and representation.
In recent years, the number of submissions has greatly exceeded the conference capacity, and the acceptance rate has been below 50%. The acceptance criteria for symposia will be particularly stringent given the time required in the conference programme. In some cases, the conference committee may reassign full papers to condensed papers or symposia to shorter sets of papers to accommodate as many presenters as possible.
Conference Committee decisions on the abstract review process will be communicated to authors by mid-May.
The following are guidelines for the types of submissions invited for consideration. The Conference is using the Ex-Ordo abstract submission system. Please follow the instructions on screen during the submission process.