WCE2026
April 15-20, 2026 | Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington DC, United States, & Online
International, Intercultural, Interdisciplinary
The Washington DC Conference on Education (WCE2026) will be held alongside The Washington DC Conference on the Social Sciences (WCSS2026) as a part of the IAFOR American Conference Series, and many of the sessions will concentrate on areas at the intersection of education and the social sciences. In keeping with IAFOR’s commitment to interdisciplinary study, delegates at either conference are encouraged to attend sessions in other disciplines. Registration for either conference will allow delegates to attend sessions in the other. We expect the resultant professional and personal collaborations to endure for many years, and we look forward to seeing you in Washington DC and online!
Welcome to The Washington DC Conference on Education!
The International Academic Forum, in partnership with the IAFOR Research Centre at the Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) at Osaka University, Japan, is very happy to return to Washington, DC and to the United States’ mainland in 2026. This dual conference event will complement those we hold in other cities throughout the world.
IAFOR conferences offer a crucial and critical space for scholarship and creativity, attracting thousands of delegates annually, and from more than a hundred different countries, in events that are celebrations of the international, intercultural, and interdisciplinary. The Washington DC Conference on Education (WCE2026) will be held alongside its sister conference, The Washington DC Conference on the Social Sciences (WCSS2026). Both conferences build upon The IAFOR Conference on Educational Research and Innovation, held with our global partner, Virginia Tech, in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Washington, DC is an important historical and cultural centre, with world class museums and iconic monuments. It is also a prominent intellectual and academic hub, with great universities and numerous think tanks; not only the nation’s capital, but given the outsized role of the United States in world affairs, DC is central to global dynamics. It is in DC that many discussions are had, ideas are shaped, decisions are made, and policies are crafted, that impact not only the furthest corners of the Union, but that are felt across the world. In these challenging times, it is a fitting physical and intellectual place to host our International Academic Forum.
We have a lot to learn from each other. Join us in DC in 2026!
For and on behalf of the IAFOR International Academic Board and the Conference Programme Committees,
Dr Joseph Haldane, Osaka University, Japan & University College London, United Kingdom
Chairman and CEO, IAFOR
Professor Jun Arima, University of Tokyo, Japan
President, IAFOR
Professor Anne Boddington
Executive Vice-President and Provost, IAFOR
- Location & Venue: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington DC & Online
- Dates: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 to Monday, April 20, 2026
- Early Bird Abstract Submission Deadline: November 07, 2025*
- Final Abstract Submission Deadline: January 16, 2026
- Registration Deadline for Presenters: February 20, 2026
*Submit early to take advantage of the discounted registration rates. Learn more about our registration options.
Programme
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Creating the Democratic Civic University Through Local Engagement in a Time of CrisisKeynote Presentation: Ira Harkavy
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Beyond Productivity: Why the Future of AI in Education Must Be Human-CentricKeynote Presentation: James Pitarresi
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Fostering University and Community Collaboration in Schools: Lessons from the United StatesPanel Presentation: Naorah Rimkunas, Luann Kida, Cory Bowman, Laura Bronstein
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Campus, Community, and CitizenshipPanel Presentation: Caroline Donovan White, Susan Piedmont-Palladino, Anne Boddington
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Senior Academic LeadershipFeatured Workshop: Anne Boddington, Joseph Haldane, Donald E. Hall
Speakers
To be announced
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Anne BoddingtonIAFOR, Japan
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Laura BronsteinBinghamton University, United States
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Cory BowmanUniversity of Pennsylvania, United States
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Joseph HaldaneIAFOR, Japan
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Donald E. HallBinghamton University, United States
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Ira HarkavyUniversity of Pennsylvania, United States
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Luann KidaBinghamton University, United States
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James W. McNallyUniversity of Michigan & NACDA Program on Aging, United States
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Susan Piedmont-PalladinoVirginia Tech, United States
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James M PitarresiBinghamton University, United States
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Naorah RimkunasBinghamton University, United States
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Caroline Donovan WhiteNAFSA, United States
Conference Committees
The International Academic Board (IAB)
Professor Anne Boddington, IAFOR, Japan (IAB Chair)
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR & The University of Osaka, Japan, & University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Jun Arima, IAFOR & The University of Tokyo, Japan
Professor Virgil Hawkins, IAFOR Research Centre & The University of Osaka, Japan
Mr Lowell Sheppard, IAFOR & Never Too Late Academy, Japan
Professor Umberto Ansaldo, VinUniversity, Vietnam
Dr Susana Barreto, University of Porto, Portugal
Professor Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan
Dr Evangelia Chrysikou, Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Donald E. Hall, Binghamton University, United States
Professor Brendan Howe, Ewha Womans University, South Korea & The Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA)
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
Conference Programme Committee
Professor Laura Bronstein, Binghamton University, United States
Dr Thomas G. Endres, University of Northern Colorado, United States
Dr Joseph Haldane, The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Japan
Professor Donald E. Hall, Binghamton University, United States
Professor Barbara B. Lockee, Virginia Tech, United States
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
WCE/WCSS2026 Conference Review Committee
Dr Aileen Diansuy, Antipolo Institute of Technology & Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines Tertiary Level, Inc, Philippines
Dr Lorna Dimatatac, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Philippines
Dr Mastano Dzimbiri, Miami University, United States
Dr Aderinsola Kayode, Durban University of Technology, South Africa, South Africa
Dr Can Sakar, Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy, Turkey
Dr Karen Joy Umila, Martin County Schools, United States
Dr Emely Amoloza, University of the Philippines Open University, Philippines
Dr Ichraf Aroua, University of Carthage, Tunisia
Dr Ricky Rosales, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines














