Submit your proposal HERE.
Calls in Finnish and Swedish are available in the English and Swedish language webpages respectively.
Welcome to organise a thematic group, symposium, or workshop in the Finnish Conference on Adult Education at the University of Helsinki on February 8–9, 2024. Conference theme is Sustainable Development and Continuous Learning in the Changing World. We invite participants from universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions, as well as other civil society organisations, to discuss the role of Adult Education Science in the constantly changing world. The role of Adult Education Science is to provide a dynamic, critical and interdisciplinary research field in which the dialogue between theory and practice can yield a deeper understanding and provide fresh insights into both local and global challenges. We welcome proposals related to the diverse research field of adult education.
The conference is primarily organised as an in-person event, but sessions can also be carried out in remote or hybrid formats. Organisers of thematic groups, symposia and workshops can determine the format of their sessions. University of Helsinki will provide technical tools necessary for remote or hybrid sessions, such as microphones and cameras. We encourage session organisers to draw on innovative and interactive approaches. Sessions can be organised in Finnish, English or Swedish.
Thematic groups are formed around a theme of inquiry, such as content of research, theory or methodology. A thematic group can contain one or more sessions. One session is 90 minutes long and features 3–4 presentations. Presenters submit abstracts to thematic groups during the abstract call in autumn 2023, based on the thematic group’s description provided by the group’s organisers. The organisers then review the submitted abstracts, group them into a suitable number of sessions and schedule them in cooperation with AITU 2024 organising committee. The organisers of thematic groups are also responsible for timing and chairing the sessions.
Compared to thematic groups, symposia are more precisely built around a specific theme or subject. A symposium takes place as a single 90-minute session which typically consists of a short introduction, 3–4 presentations and a discussion. The symposium’s organisers are responsible for assembling and implementing the symposium. Presenters and presentations are pre-selected to form a coherent whole. Symposia also have a chair and often a discussant, who will comment on presentations and provide a critical outlook towards the theme.
A workshop may focus on, e.g., methodology, methods of development and research methods in adult education, a pedagogical approach, or a recent societal or scholarly topic. Compared to a symposium, a workshop approaches its topic from a more practical point of view. It aims to offer new perspectives or tools and promote practical skills related to the topic. A workshop takes place as a single 90-minute session. Similar to a symposium, presenters and content are pre-selected. A workshop typically consists of an introductory presentation, followed by, e.g., group work, joined development of the topic, or practical experimentation. The workshop’s organisers are responsible for gathering and carrying out the workshop.
A symposium or a workshop can be proposed as an independent session or as part of a thematic group.
Call for proposals for thematic groups, symposia or workshops is open June 1st – September 15th, 2023. Call for abstracts opens in autumn 2023.
You can submit a proposal by filling an e-form HERE. Details of the required information can be found in the form and below.
If you have any questions, you can contact us at aitu2024@helsinki.fi
Length max. 2000 characters. N.B. Thematic group description can be shorter. For symposium or workshop, in addition to the general description, please list presenter names and presentation titles. Please include the following into the description: