Compassion, collegiality and communities in higher education: challenging the discourse
SRHE International Conference 2025
Friday 28 November (online) and Tuesday 2 – Thursday 4 December (in-person at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham, UK).
The 2025 SRHE International Research Conference will take place on Friday 28th November (online) and 2nd – 4th December (in-person at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham, UK).
Call for Papers
Our Call for Papers invites higher education researchers, practitioners, and postgraduate students to reflect on the theme: Compassion, collegiality and communities in higher education: challenging the discourse
Higher education is an aspiration for millions of people, a driver for social mobility, a home for the development of new knowledge through research and innovation, and a refuge for freedom of thought and opinion. Despite this, media and political discourse in many countries often depicts higher education as elitist and perpetuating social inequalities, whilst also threatening freedom of speech and cultivating anxiety among staff and students, and implying that HE offers poor value for money to students, families, and taxpayers. How are these views shaped by external parties such as politicians, the media and parents, and by the increasingly profound differences in values, experiences and voting patterns between people who have studied in higher education and others who have not? To what extent are stakeholders within higher education – academics, students, professional service staff and leaders – complicit in accepting and repeating these discourses of higher education even if it may not reflect their beliefs and engagement with higher education in practice? Those who work in higher education still believe in the collective efforts of teaching to transform students, research to push the boundaries of disciplines and the power of higher education to improve local communities, create global connections and improve society. How can people studying and working in higher education take back control of the discourse, celebrating the communities at the heart of higher education, the collegiality necessary to deliver high quality teaching and research and the compassion to support staff and students in these endeavours? Can kindness and caring (care-giving, care-receiving and caring for oneself) be at the heart of the system? Are there ways in which higher education institutions could enhance their engagement with people who have not studied or worked in them, and communities with low proportions of graduates?
The SRHE annual international conference aims to advance the understanding of higher education, support and disseminate research and practice, and provide a platform for the perspectives and knowledge offered by systematic research and scholarship. With an international membership which spans a broad range of the humanities and social sciences, the SRHE community includes researchers, students, policymakers, educational developers, professional services staff, and others with an interest in higher education. The SRHE conference acts as a space for broad-ranging knowledge exchange, exploration of productive pathways for collaboration, and dissemination of ideas in a variety of formats, across a range of research domains. In line with this, conference submissions that do not directly address the conference theme are also eligible for inclusion, and will be considered in full by reviewers and moderators.
Abstract Submission
Deadline for submissions is Thursday 15th May 2025 (23:59 GMT+1)
The Oxford Abstracts submission portal is now open for submitting papers, symposia and posters.
Please read all the information below before submitting an abstract:
- You must submit your abstract before the deadline; any requests for late submissions will not be considered.
- You must submit an abstract AND a paper.
- The abstract word limit is 150 words, and the paper word limit is 750 words.
- Please do not submit the same paper more than once or in more than one format.
- Co-authored papers are welcomed. Ensure you use the relevant tick-box on the submission form to indicate whether a co-author intends to co-present the paper or is a non-presenting co-author. A co-authored paper/abstract should be submitted by only one of the authors.
- Only the individual submitting the paper will receive notification regarding accepted papers.
- Speakers are asked to indicate their mode of presentation (online OR in-person) at the point of submission. If online presentation is selected, the presentation will be scheduled for the online conference on Friday 28th November 2025. If in-person presentation is chosen, the paper will be timetabled for the in-person conference which will take place from 2nd to 4th Dec 2025 at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham, UK.
- Speakers are, like all delegates, welcome to attend the online day, the in-person days, or both. Please note that attending both formats will require two bookings.
- We are unable to accommodate timing requests. If a paper is submitted and accepted for the online conference, the submission will be scheduled on Friday 28th November 2025. If a paper is submitted and accepted for the in-person conference, this will be timetabled any day between Tuesday 2nd and Thursday 4th Dec 2025.
- Make sure to proofread your submission; you can edit your submission details at any time prior to the closing date for submissions.
- You must acknowledge the use of Gen AI in the ‘Declaration’ section when you have used it to assist you with conference submission. The submitter is fully responsible for the accuracy of any information and correctly referencing any citations. You must ensure that application of AI-based tools does not lead to plagiarise, misrepresent or falsify content, or infringe third party rights.
- Please do not use ALL CAPITALS in the title of your paper; capitalise only the first letters of words in the title.
- Ensure that you have completed your submission form by 15 May 2025, any incomplete forms or late submissions will not be considered.
Papers are invited for presentation under one of 10 broad research domains. This aids the organisation of a thematically coherent programme. Although many papers have the potential to fall under a number of domains, we ask that authors indicate their first preference. The research domains are:
- Academic practice, Work, Careers, and Cultures (AP)
- Digital University and New Learning Technologies (DU)
- Employability, Enterprise, and Graduate Careers (EE)
- Higher Education Policy (HEP)
- International Contexts and Perspectives (ICP)
- Learning, Teaching, and Assessment (LTA)
- Management, Leadership, Governance, and Quality (MLGQ)
- Postgraduate Scholarship and Practice (PGSP)
- Student Access and Experience (SAE)
- Technical, Professional and Vocational Higher Education (TPV)
All submissions are subject to rigorous peer review and the selection of papers for presentation is based solely on quality. There is no strict requirement for submissions to directly address the conference theme. Empirical and scholarly research from a wide range of perspectives is welcome.
All submissions will be judged by the following criteria:
- Originality of the question(s) addressed
- Effective use and clear explanation of research methodology
- Clarity of the research aims and objectives and outcomes
- The extent to which the work is rooted in the relevant literature
- Significance of the research and the (potential) contribution to what is known about the area researched
- The quality of the any data presented, and the reliability and significance of the conclusions
- The quality of the argument/evidence presented, whether derived from empirical work or scholarly analysis of literature/evidence
Presentation Formats
You are invited to contribute to the conference in a variety of ways; the same paper must not be submitted in more than one of these formats:
Research papers may be:
- Papers which are advanced or complete, and where research findings/analysis can be fully reported.
- Work in progress empirical/data-based studies. The work can be newly underway, and presenters may focus on theory, methodology, and conceptual framework rather than reporting on preliminary/final findings and analysis.
Authors are required to submit:
- A 150-word abstract which will be made available online via the conference website.
- A maximum 750-word paper which will be available to download via the conference website. The submission form has a separate field for references and figures, which are not included in the word limit.
- Individual Papers will be grouped into coherent sessions of up to three papers in a 90-minute slot. These sessions will have the discussion at the end of each presentation. Individual presenters will be allocated 20 minutes for their paper followed by 10 minutes for Q&A; this will be led by an assigned chair.
Symposia provide the opportunity to present 3-4 related research papers on a single theme (please note that a symposium submission with less than 3 or more than 4 papers will not be accepted). Each symposium will be programmed into a 90-minute slots. An individual proposing a symposium (the symposium convenor) will be responsible for:
- Providing the title and description of the session
- Ensuring the symposium has an overall clear focus and each paper therein is clearly related to the overall focus/theme of the symposium but also offer distinct perspectives.
- Inviting colleagues to contribute their papers.
- Communicating with the symposium contributing presenters and approving their papers before these are submitted.
- Ensuring that that symposium include a minimum of 3 papers and no more than 4 papers.
A Symposium proposal submission must include:
- A 400-word rationale for the symposium
- The names of the symposium chair
- If applicable, the name(s) of the discussant(s)
- The names and details of all contributing presenters
Once the Symposium proposal has been submitted, invited contributors will receive an e-mail from Oxford Abstracts prompting them to submit a paper and attach it to your symposium.
To Contribute a Paper to a Symposium
Only those invited by a Symposium Convenor can submit a contribution to a symposium. You will receive an e-mail from Oxford Abstracts prompting you to submit your paper and abstract once your Symposium Convenor has completed their symposium proposal.
Your paper will be individually reviewed for its own contribution and how it relates to the symposium rationale. A symposium will not be accepted unless all papers are rated to a high standard during peer review.
Contributing authors are required to submit:
- A 150-word abstract which will be available online via the conference website.
- A maximum 750-word paper which will be available to download via the conference website. The submission form has a separate field for references and figures, which are not included in the word limit.
Please note that poster submissions will only be available for presentation at the in-person conference. All accepted posters will be entered into the SRHE annual poster competition.
Poster authors are required to submit:
- A 150-word abstract which will be available online via the conference website.
- A maximum 400-word outline (excluding references and figures) of the poster’s research question, key ideas, methodology/techniques, and where applicable, preliminary, or final results/conclusions.
- You are not required to submit your finalised poster at this stage. If accepted, you will receive guidelines on producing your physical poster in advance of the conference.
Conference Information
Delegates are welcome to attend online, in person, or both – please note that attending both formats will require two bookings.
SRHE members can attend the online day free-of-charge and will be able to access a discounted rate for the in-person element. For more about SRHE membership and its benefits, click here.
To book your free place as an SRHE member, please ensure you are logged into your SRHE member account at the time of registration.
Please note that conference registration does not include accommodation. This must be booked separately by delegates. Information about accommodation associated with the conference centre will be available soon.
| Key Dates | |
| Early Bird Booking | Standard Booking |
| By 23rd September 2025 | 24th September 2025 onwards |
Conference practices which prioritise inclusivity and accessibility are important to us at SRHE. As always, our submission form will include an open question by which delegates are welcome to outline any measures we could take to support your full participation in the conference.
Existing measures we take to enhance the inclusivity of our conference include:
- Our submission platform is Oxford Abstracts. Should you have any issues using the system, please contact the team for assistance: srhe@srhe.ac.uk.
- We will schedule guidance sessions for both presenters and session chairs later in the year, ahead of the conference.
- Suggested best practice on presenting online can be found on our SRHE blog: please click here to view.
- Suggested best practice on chairing conference sessions can be found on our SRHE blog: please click here to view.
- Written guidance notes will be available to all peer reviewers, moderators, and session chairs.
- Those joining us online will receive an e-mail reminder in advance of the event with all details required to participate.
We also take measures to ensure other aspects of the conference promote accessibility and inclusivity, including the scheduling, the choice and management of the physical space for the in-person element, and our communications – and we are always open to hearing directly from conference delegates about other enhancements and adjustments to be mindful of.
If you have any queries, please use our live chat (available at the bottom right-hand corner of any page on our website), or alternatively e-mail:
- Dr Rihana Suliman, SRHE Manager: Conferences and Events: rihana.suliman@srhe.ac.uk
- If your query relates to conference sponsorship or other forms of engagement, please include Mariam Ismail, SRHE Engagement and Development Manager, in your correspondence: mariam.ismail@srhe.ac.uk