ISEP Conference

Join us virtually for the 2026 conference!

0Days

When & Where

October 14-16 2026

Virtually

Who Attends

  • Higher Education Faculty & Administrators
  • Educational Planners
  • Policy Makers
  • Researchers
  • Leaders Involved in Educational Planning
  • Educational & Government Consultants
  • School Teachers & Administrators
  • Local Government Leaders
  • Graduate Students

Conference Theme

Coming Soon

This sub-theme focuses on how educators, students, and entire school communities can learn together how to adapt and thrive amid rapid change. Sessions will explore strategies for supporting educators and students during times of upheaval, enhancing resilience, and fostering inclusive environments. Key discussions will center on equity, inclusion, and leadership development as critical tools for navigating a dynamic educational landscape. Potential topics may include:

  • Developing leadership for sustainable educational transformation
  • Building resilience in educators and students during educational crises (e.g., COVID-19, natural disasters, political unrest)
  • Developing community-driven educational practices to support underserved and nontraditional populations
  • Fostering a culture of equity and inclusion in remote and hybrid learning environments
  • Leadership models for managing educational change in diverse contexts
  • Contemporary debates & challenges to leadership in the 21st Century
  • Programs to promote student, staff, faculty, and administrative leadership (all constituents) well-being during transitions
  • Programs that foster positive relationships and build trust in an era of controversial policies and regulations 
  • Strategies for well-being of students and teachers through social-emotional learning (SEL) and trauma-informed practices

This sub-theme addresses the innovative tools and technologies reshaping education today. It will explore how emerging technologies, infrastructure improvements, and collaboration tools are enabling more equitable access to education and transforming teaching and learning experiences. Sessions will examine both the potential and the challenges of integrating new technologies into educational settings and their impact on global educational systems. Potential topics may include:

  • Tools for fostering collaboration and partnerships across global educational communities
  • The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in personalizing learning experiences
  • Infrastructure solutions for ensuring equitable access to digital resources in underfunded schools
  • Exploring ed-tech tools for collaborative learning and global student exchange
  • How virtual and augmented reality are changing experiential learning opportunities
  • Open Distance and eLearning (OD&eL) including tools, best practices, and challenges for remote and hybrid classrooms 
  • Providing equity and access to mental health resources for all learners

This sub-theme invites thought leaders and practitioners to reflect on the future of education by reimagining pedagogies and educational frameworks. Sessions will explore innovative ideas for adapting curricula, teaching strategies, and educational policies in response to shifting societal needs and global challenges. The focus will be on creating systems that are more flexible, inclusive, and equipped to handle disruptions, while also fostering a sense of hope and inspiration in the educational community. Potential topics may include:

  • Reimagining assessment methods to better support student learning in a changing world
  • Creating adaptable educational policies that address both global crises and local needs
  • Innovating curriculum design to incorporate real-world problem-solving and interdisciplinary learning
  • Shifting from traditional classrooms to learning environments that foster creativity and collaboration
  • The role of hope and vision in leading transformative educational change
  • Policies and frameworks for adapting to global disruptions
  • Creating adaptable educational paradigms within and through Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Creativity and innovation within and throughout mutually beneficial and diverse partnerships
  • Policy and institutional initiatives to prioritize well-being

The open theme allows for a broader exploration of topics. This sub-theme encourages creative and interdisciplinary solutions to ongoing issues in education, offering a platform for discussing lessons learned from past crises and how they can shape future educational practices. Sessions may focus on bridging gaps between traditional and contemporary practices, or proposing new ideas that have yet to be fully explored. Potential topics may include:

  • Lessons learned from educational crises (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic)
  • Bridging traditional and contemporary educational practices
  • Creative and interdisciplinary solutions to address the learning needs of diverse student populations
  • How global education systems can collaborate to solve common challenges
  • The role of social-emotional learning in rethinking educational practices
  • The complexities of cultural contexts, cultural perspectives, and culturalization within the educational environments
  • Redesigning teacher preparation programs for the future of education
  • Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the landscape of educational environments
  • Integration of well-being into curriculum and pedagogy, linking emotional intelligence, adaptability, and motivation to lifelong learning

In a rapidly evolving world, the role of education transcends traditional boundaries. The ISEP Conference invites educators, administrators, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore innovative approaches that foster holistic development and prepare individuals for an interconnected future.

The planning committee is interested in obtaining original proposals dealing directly with the conference theme and that are aligned to the focus sessions listed.

Join us at the ISEP Conference to be part of a transformative dialogue that shapes the future of education. Together, we can unlock the full potential of individuals and communities, empowering them to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Submit a Proposal

Proposal Submission Guidelines

ISEP accepts presentation proposals on a rolling basis until the proposal deadline. The following information will be included in your online proposal submission:

  • First Presenter’s Information: Name, Email address, Current Position, Institution, and Address
  • Additional Presenter’s Information: Names, Email addresses, Current Positions, Institutions, and Addresses
  • Presentation Format
  • Thematic Session (select from the list above)
  • Title of Presentation
  • Presentation Abstract for inclusion in conference program (100-150 words)
  • Presentation Description to be reviewed for acceptance decision (350-500 words)
    • Objectives for the proposal
    • Summary of content

Presenters may appear in the program twice as a main presenter, and no more than two times as an additional presenter. Presentations should be designed for a 20-minute time slot that includes time for questions from the audience.

Papers derived from the presentations can be submitted for peer-review for possible inclusion in the Educational Planning Journal.

Important Dates

  • August 1, 2026: Deadline for proposal submission.
  • August 15, 2026: Notification of acceptance.
  • October 1, 2026: Registration due. Full registration fee must be received no later than this date for the presentation and presenter(s) to be listed on the conference program. Accepted presenters planning to attend must pay registration fee for the Conference, even if they plan to attend the conference only on the day of their presentation. Any author identified in the presentation, but not officially registered for the conference by the due date, will not be listed in the official program of the conference.

Research Idea Lightning Talks

When submitting your proposal, you will have the opportunity to submit a Research Idea Lightning Talk!

ISEP provides researchers with a great opportunity for collective feedback and recruiting collaboration to complete research. This session is simply a place to express new ideas and draw in possible interested collaborators.

Do you have a research idea that you’d like others to join in on for expansion or for unique perspectives? Do you have a research idea that bridges practice and theory, but you need to enlist collaborators? Do you have a BIG research idea that you need other researchers to join to complete? This individual or group presentation creates an opportunity to present research at lightning speed!

The purpose of these talks is for scholars to present a lightning talk on a research idea in 5 minutes or less. Each individual or group will be allowed 5 minutes and is limited to one PPT slide. Think of this as brainstorming under time constraint and consider the following as useful presentation guides:

  1. Project nature, title, one sentence background statement
  2. Problem the research seeks to address and its importance
  3. Project current status and accomplishment(s) to date
  4. Potential for scholarship and/or implications for practice
  5. Call for assistance (seeking collaborators or feedback). Be sure to provide contact information or additional meeting information for anyone who might be interested. Any additional meetings for these ideas would not be scheduled during the conference and would be the full responsibility of the presenter(s) to organize and facilitate.

Research Idea Lightening Talks can be submitted online with your conference presentation submission. The deadlines and conference attendance costs follow those for regular sessions. All Research Lightning Talk presenters must be registered for the conference to be included in the program.

Sponsor the Conference

Conference Planning Committee

  • Chair: Leslie Trimmer
  • Caroline Crawford
  • Walter Polka
  • Caitlin Riegel
  • Ann-Marie Wilmot
  • Ebru Karatas
  • T. DeVere Wolsey
  • Alsaeed Alshamy
  • Maruff Akinwale Oladejo
  • Noran Moffett
  • Xolani Khalo
  • Yaffa Buskila
  • Arvin Johnson

Why Attend

Why should you attend an ISEP conference?

Just ask long time ISEP member, Carol Cash!