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We will inform you about the details once they are published.

The conference seeks to address the critical role of teacher education today: on the one hand as a means of responding to the complexities of our increasingly interconnected global landscape, and on the other hand as a field enriched by breaking down barriers between disciplines, actors, theory, and practice.

The early 21st century marked a new phase of globalisation in higher education, characterised by market-oriented reforms, intensified international competition and growing institutional autonomy under increasing budgetary pressure. Universities expanded their global reach, mobility increased, and new technologies—including artificial intelligence—reshaped teaching, research and governance. At the same time, global rankings and notions of “excellence” reinforced competitive dynamics within and across national systems.

Today, this globalised model is under strain. Shifting geopolitics, the reassertion of national interests, and debates over academic freedom, values and societal roles are redefining the position of universities. Tensions between international collaboration and re-nationalisation, alongside controversies around diversity, inclusion, political engagement and public accountability, place higher education institutions at the centre of wider economic, social and cultural fault lines.

The theme of the 2026 CHER conference invites reflection on the changing role of universities in this context. Are higher education institutions drivers of economic, cultural and political change, or are they increasingly constrained to implementing external agendas? The conference welcomes theoretical and empirical contributions examining universities’ agency across education, research, innovation, governance and internationalisation, from multidisciplinary perspectives.

Submission of proposals is open until 28 February 2026

The Fourth International Conference of the journal Scuola Democratica is devoted to examining the vital interplay between learning and democracy—two essential pillars for building societies that are just, inclusive, and sustainable. The theme Learning for Democracy/Democracy for Learning not only reaffirms the enduring significance of democratic values but also calls for their critical rethinking and their concrete realization in everyday educational and social practices. In a global landscape marked by democratic backsliding, widening inequalities, and accelerated digital transformation, it has become imperative to reconsider how education and democracy can be reconnected to cultivate conscious, critical, and actively engaged citizens. The Conference brings together Italian and international scholars and researchers in a broad, multidisciplinary conversation aimed at reimagining education and training as instruments of emancipation and as living practices of democratic citizenship—rooted in the present, yet responsibly oriented toward the future.

From 7 till 10 September 2026 the Community of Practice of CoVEs will gather in Graz, Austria, for the fifth edition of the Forum on Vocational Excellence. If you want to be part of this inspiring and energetic event full of sharing best practices, lessons learned and finding creative solutions by working together between VET providers, companies and governments, make sure to put these dates in your calendar. More information about this event will follow in early 2026. Keep an eye on the CoP CoVEs linkedin page and their website (below) for further announcements.