Proposal Submissions Now Open – Please submit your proposal by Friday, March 14th, 2025
The organizing committee for the 18th Annual Global Partners in Education Conference invites educators and researchers to submit proposals for presentations that align with this year’s theme: “The Challenges of Openness”
Many of our institutions have historically (over decades or centuries) been developing in the direction of greater openness, taking as an article of faith or conviction that greater cooperation and understanding with the Other is a path, albeit a bumpy one, to greater peace and prosperity for the greatest number. Indeed, this is the explicitly stated goal of a host of cultural institutions, from universities to artistic movements, to social media corporations and policy think tanks, and Openness could be argued to be the driving ethos behind entire historical periods.
In contrast, recent developments, both subtle and spectacular, seem to reflect a growing sense of cultural skepticism and disillusionment with regards to openness and exchange. The benefits of openness are often said to be excessively abstract or inequitable or fragmenting, its drawbacks often perceived to be pressing and urgent, and these anxieties and frustrations manifest to differing degrees in politics, the arts, science, social movements, and cultural trends as a trend to closure and withdrawal.
We welcome papers from all domains of study which explore the contours and fault lines of this dynamic on a personal, community, local, regional, national, or international level. How are the Challenges of Being Open appearing in your classrooms, your communities, and in our world at large, and how might we meet these challenges?
In addition to the theme as outlined above, we also invite presentations on successful global education programs and initiatives (including GPE activities and other global education initiatives) that have encouraged cross-cultural engagement among students. Proposals should emphasize practical strategies and outcomes.
Submission Deadline: Friday, March 14th, 2025
At least one author must attend GPE 18 in person to present. Presentations will be allotted up to 15 minutes with additional time for Q&A. Due to time constraints, some who submit presentation proposals may be asked to do a poster instead. For those doing a poster, a template will be provided.
For inquiries, please contact gpe2025@univ-tours.fr.