EAIE Rotterdam 2023: Become a speaker
Although the excitement and emotion of the EAIE’s 32nd Annual Conference and Exhibition in Barcelona is barely in our collective rear view mirror, it’s already time to look ahead to next year’s gathering of the EAIE in the vibrant port city of Rotterdam. As always, the programme for our annual conference will be designed around an overarching theme and built directly on the interests and priorities of our community of international education professionals across Europe and beyond. The most critical ingredient in this process, of course, is you!
Connecting currents: understanding and responding
In 2023, the EAIE conference theme is focused on the many dimensions embedded in the idea of ‘connecting currents’. What does this mean? On one level, a discussion of ‘currents’ in our field will surely want to address the fact that international education operates in real-time and is affected by all manner of trends and developments unfolding in a wide range of arenas, from the social, political and economic, to the educational, technological and environmental. What are the specific effects on our work of these various currents? Do the developments in the world around us – locally, regionally and/or globally – empower us or represent new (or ongoing) challenges to address and overcome? Who are the key stakeholders affected by these trends, and who is providing us with examples of creative responses? Crucially, our community is keen to know more about trendsetting behaviour or practice that points the way forward toward new ways of working and delivering impact in our field, despite (or thanks to) the flow of powerful historical forces around us.
‘Connecting currents’ can also be explored through considerations of innovative and effective relationships. That is, what examples can we turn to that showcase meaningful ways to deliver on the promise of international education through partnerships that really work? What does it look like in our field to make connections across disciplines, across administrative silos within our own institutions, across divides that often separate higher education institutions from local governments, NGOs or community activists, or from the complex processes of addressing painful historical legacies? The ability to learn from one another regarding the cultivation of connections that overcome real barriers and meet vital needs is a key aspiration of the upcoming conference experience.
Connecting currents: empowering and energising
The notion of ‘currents’ also speaks to the flow of energy. The EAIE’s annual gathering offers our community a key opportunity to recharge professional batteries and draw inspiration from the pooling of ideas and experiences. As we work to address major challenges and respond to opportunities in our field, it can be extremely helpful to hear how colleagues are initiating and sustaining their momentum, whether personally or professionally. What resources are being drawn from to fund key initiatives? How are others pulling together allies and other support mechanisms for their work? What keeps their energy levels up as they respond, build, evaluate and advance their programmes and initiatives?
Whether you are new to the field of international education, or decades into a career, your perspectives on the currents shaping our work today and how the pieces of this complex puzzle fit together truly matter. We sincerely hope you’ll consider sharing your experiences and insights with your peers at the 2023 EAIE Conference and Exhibition. To do so, be sure to submit a session proposal by 04 November. We look forward to connecting with you in Rotterdam!
