Join us in London (and online) for ECE2026!
July 09–13, 2026 | SOAS & University College London, UK & Online
Welcome to The 14th European Conference on Education (ECE2026), held in partnership with Birkbeck, University of London, the IAFOR Research Centre at the Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) at The University of Osaka, and in affiliation with University College London (UCL).
ECE2026 encourages academics and scholars to meet and exchange ideas and views in an international forum stimulating respectful dialogue. This event will afford an exceptional opportunity for renewing old acquaintances, making new contacts, networking, and facilitating partnerships across national and disciplinary borders.
Since its founding in 2009, IAFOR has brought people and ideas together in a variety of events and platforms to promote and celebrate interdisciplinary study, and underline its importance. IAFOR continues to engage in many cross-sectoral projects across the world, including those engaging leading universities (Virginia Tech, University College London (UCL), Singapore Management University (SMU), University of Belgrade, Lingnan University, University of Barcelona, and the University of Hawai’i), think tanks, research organisations and agencies (the East-West Center, The Center for Higher Education Research, The World Intellectual Property Organization), and collaborative projects with governments, international governmental organisations (Government of Japan through the Prime Minister’s Office, the United Nations in New York), and media agencies (The Wall Street Journal, JWT, HarperCollins).
With the IAFOR Research Centre at The University of Osaka, we have engaged in a number of interdisciplinary initiatives we believe will have an important impact on domestic and international public policy conversations and outcomes.
IAFOR's unique global platform facilitates discussion around specific subject areas, with the goal of generating new knowledge and understanding, forging and expanding new international, intercultural and interdisciplinary research networks and partnerships. We have no doubt that ECE2026 will offer a remarkable opportunity for the sharing of research and best practice and for the meeting of people and ideas.
The 14th European Conference on Education (ECE2026) is an interdisciplinary conference held alongside The 14th European Conference on Arts & Humanities (ECAH2026) and The 6th European Conference on Aging & Gerontology (EGen2026). Registration for any of these conferences will allow delegates to attend sessions in the others.
We look forward to seeing you in London and online!
– The Conference Programme Committee
- Venue & Location: SOAS & University College London, United Kingdom & Online
- Dates: Thursday, July 09, 2026 to Monday, July 13, 2026
- Early Bird Abstract Submission Deadline: February 13, 2026*
- Final Abstract Submission Deadline: April 17, 2026
- Registration Deadline for Presenters: May 22, 2026
*Submit early to take advantage of the discounted registration rates. Learn more about our registration options.
Speakers
To be announced
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Anne BoddingtonIAFOR, Japan -
Dorina CadarBrighton and Sussex Medical School, United Kingdom
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Paul ChamberlainRoyal College of Art, United Kingdom
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Evangelia ChrysikouUniversity College London (UCL), United Kingdom
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Alfonso J. García-OsunaHofstra University, United States
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Lee JeromeMiddlesex University, United Kingdom
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Allison LittlejohnUniversity College London (UCL), United Kingdom
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Justin McGuirkThe Design Museum, United Kingdom
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James W. McNallyUniversity of Michigan & NACDA Program on Aging, United States
Featured Presentations
To be announced
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Don’t Let AI Change What It Means to TeachKeynote Presentation: Allison Littlejohn
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What Can Teachers Do to Promote Democratic Citizenship?Keynote Presentation: Lee Jerome
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The Role of the Arts and Humanities in Troubling Times: Part IIIThe Forum: Alfonso Garcia Osuna, Melina Neophytou, Apipol Sae-Tung
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From Risk to Resilience: Rethinking Ageing, Brain Health, and Dementia PreventionKeynote Presentation: Dorina Cadar
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The 100-Year Life and Our Future HomeKeynote Presentation: Paul Chamberlain
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Designing With and For the Living WorldKeynote Presentation: Justin McGuirk
Conference Committees
The International Academic Board (IAB)
Professor Anne Boddington, IAFOR, Japan (IAB Chair)
Dr Joseph Haldane, The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Japan
Professor Jun Arima, IAFOR & The University of Tokyo, Japan
Professor Virgil Hawkins, IAFOR Research Centre & The University of Osaka, Japan
Mr Lowell Sheppard, IAFOR & Never Too Late Academy, Japan
Professor Umberto Ansaldo, VinUniversity, Vietnam
Dr Susana Barreto, University of Porto, Portugal
Professor Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan
Dr Evangelia Chrysikou, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Donald E. Hall, Binghamton University, United States
Professor Brendan Howe, Ewha Womans University, South Korea & The Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA)
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
Conference Programme Committee
Professor Emerita Doris Brigitte Ash, University of California Santa Cruz, United States
Professor Anne Boddington, Executive Vice-President and Provost, IAFOR, Japan
Dr Evangelia Chrysikou, Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Mehmet Demir, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele, Birkbeck, University of London, United Kingdom
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR and The University of Osaka, Japan, & University College London, United Kingdom (Conference Co-chair)
Dr Takoua Jendoubi, University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Rana Khalife, University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Jacqueline Lottin, Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates
Dr David Mallows, University College London Institute of Education, United Kingdom
Dr Mauryn Chika Nweke, University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Andrea Révész, University College London Institute of Education, United Kingdom
Dr Ian Scott, University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Marcelo Staricoff, University of Sussex, United Kingdom
Conference Review Committee
Dr Akeem Adekunle, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Dr Samra Afzal, National University of Modern Languages, Pakistan
Dr Pallavi Aggarwal, University of Missouri-Sanit Louis, United States
Dr Trinette Chang-colina, University of the East Manila, Philippines
Dr Hazel Diaz, Central Luzon State University, Philippines
Dr Angela Giattino, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Dr Wendy Hiew, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia
Dr Gregory Katsas, American College of Greece, Greece
Dr Aderinsola Kayode, Trinity University, Nigeria
Dr John Linga, Tamagawa Academy (K-12) & University, Japan
Dr Brooke Marton Mcgowin, Virginia Tech, United States
Dr Hiea Mizyed, Emirates College of Advanced Education, United Arab Emirates
Dr Obianuju Okeke-uzodike, Durban University of Technology, South Africa
Dr Nato Pachuashvili, International Black Sea University, Georgia
Dr Kornkanya Ratchaponsit, Phuket Rajabhat University, Thailand
Professor Alexandra Sofia Rodrigues, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal
Dr Robbie Lee Sabnani, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Dr Craig Sims, Curtin University, Australia
Professor Rainer Telesko, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Switzerland
Dr Ying Wu, University of Dundee, United Kingdom
IAFOR's peer review process, which involves both reciprocal review and the use of Review Committees, is overseen by the Conference Programme Committee under the guidance of the International Academic Board (IAB). Review Committee members are established academics who hold PhDs or other terminal degrees in their fields and who have previous peer review experience.
If you would like to apply to serve on the ECE2026 Review Committee, please visit our application page.
IAFOR's Conference Themes for 2025-2029
Our four themes can be seen as standalone themes, but they are also very much in conversation with each other. Themes may be seen as corollaries, complementary, or in opposition/juxtaposition with each other. The themes can be considered as widely as possible and are designed, in keeping with our mission, to encourage ideas across the disciplines.
IAFOR Research Centre (IRC) – “Innovation and Value Initiative”
The IAFOR Research Centre (IRC) is housed within Osaka University’s School of International Public Policy (OSIPP), and in June 2018 the IRC began an ambitious new “Innovation and Value Initiative”. Officially launched at the United Nations in a special UN-IAFOR Collaborative Session, the initiative seeks to bring together the best in interdisciplinary research around the concept of value, on how value can be recognised, and measured, and how this can help us address issues and solve problems, from the local to the global.
