The 19th Research Students’ Education Conference (RSEC) 2026: Call for abstracts
We are delighted to invite abstract submissions for the 19th Research Students’ Education Conference (RSEC), organised by postgraduate researchers in the School of Education.
In a world that is constantly evolving, researchers are continuously challenged to reflect on the importance, relevance and impact of their work. Our diverse, complex and increasingly interconnected realities call for researchers who can offer fresh perspectives and creative solutions to the issues affecting our territories.
We warmly invite you to participate, contribute and be part of this shared journey of knowledge and innovation that foregrounds methodological approaches, creative designs and ethical decision-making in complex research contexts.
This annual conference, hosted by the School of Education, University of Leeds, brings together new researchers, master’s students, and postgraduate researchers to showcase different aspects of their work. This year, the 19th Research Students’ Education Conference (RSEC) is titled: ‘Evolving Knowledge: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Methods, Ethics and Decision-Making in the Research Field’.
About the conference
Date: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Time: 9:30am- 4:30pm
Location: Woodhouse Suite, University House - University of Leeds
This will be a face-to-face event; recordings can be provided after the conference depending on the presenters’ approval. Please register for the Conference here.
Why attend?
- Learn how other researchers have implemented innovative and creative methodologies.
- Engage in discussions about ethical dilemmas in digitally mediated and AI-driven research.
- Explore the impact of emerging technologies on research and education.
- Discuss decolonising methodologies and culturally responsive approaches.
- Network with scholars and practitioners committed to innovation and inclusivity.
Who is invited to attend?
This inspiring and forward-thinking event invites researchers, educators and innovators to explore how educational and social research adapts to the complexities of our evolving world. Join us in a space that fosters critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration and ethically grounded approaches to research in the face of technological, social and cultural transformations.
Submissions
We invite submissions that engage with the below themes and contribute to ongoing scholarly dialogue on innovative and ethical research practices.
Deadline: Wednesday, 15 April 2026
Submit your abstract or poster here.
(The organizing committee will print the posters, and all the presenters will receive a £10 gift card.)
Conference themes
Technology and digital tools used or applied in research
This theme focuses on how digital technologies are used in research. From data collection and analysis to participation and dissemination, researchers are working in contexts shaped by rapid technological change. The theme also includes studies on researching with AI including its use by researchers and research participants. It welcomes work that considers hybrid research settings involving humans and technologies as well as the methodological opportunities and challenges that arise when using emerging and experimental tools in research practice.
Questions:
- How do digital technologies now play an increasingly central role in how research is designed and conducted?
- What is the role of technology in shaping research design, data collection, analysis and participation?
- How do researchers include digital tools and emerging technologies in their work and how this influences the ways knowledge is produced and interpreted in research contexts?
- How do researchers manage human and non-human interactions in their research? What are the opportunities, challenges and limitations?
Ethical Dilemmas and Complexity in Contemporary Research
Ethics in research is a reflective and responsible practice that calls on researchers to question their relationship with the topic, the field and the participants in their study. While many ethical considerations take place before the research begins, in a world where changes happen so quickly, researchers often need to make ethical decisions in the field, calling for situated ethical decision-making.
Questions:
- How do researchers engage with the complexity and uncertainty in research practice in changing global contexts? What tools or theoretical frameworks help them to critically assess the ethical implications of their choices?
- How do researchers develop ethical expertise through the hands‑on work they conduct in their own fields? How can this benefit other researchers in similar contexts?
- How does the use of technology, such as AI, digital tools or social media, introduce new ethical considerations at different stages of research? What are these dilemmas?
- What unique ethical considerations must be addressed when conducting research with children in their context, territories and cultures?
Creativity and Innovation in Research
Creativity and innovation in research involve developing original ideas and using unconventional approaches to solve complex problems. It also provides new solutions to old unsolved problems. By fostering imaginative thinking, researchers can generate fresh insights and create impactful solutions that address contemporary challenges. Linked to this, the emergence of participatory creative research methods, arts-based and multimodal methods such as drawings, photos, videos and storytelling provide valuable and more inclusive forms of data. Imaginative and participatory techniques to help people share ideas and experiences in ways that feel more natural and inclusive.
Questions:
- How can imaginative and participatory techniques help participants share ideas and experiences in ways that feel more natural and inclusive?
- What role does creativity play in gathering and analysing data that truly centres participants’ voices?
- How can creative methods support reflection and help researchers embrace complexity and uncertainty during the research process?
- In a world where communication methods are rapidly expanding, why is it important for research to adopt multiple ways of expressing and understanding knowledge? What are these methods? How were they used?
Educational Practice and Teacher Development
Teacher education and professional learning are shaped by changing educational demands, policy contexts and classroom realities. Teachers continue to learn and adapt throughout their careers, from initial training to ongoing professional practice. This theme focuses on educational research related to teacher education and professional learning across both pre-service and in-service contexts.
Questions:
- How do researchers explore teachers’ preparation, support and development at different stages of their careers including initial teacher training and induction?
- What methodological tools and choices researchers us to link research with real educational practice?
- How do teachers’ beliefs, values and cognition influence the decisions they make in the classroom?
- How can practice‑based or research‑informed approaches help us understand how teachers make pedagogical decisions in real‑world settings?
Decolonising Methodologies
Decolonising methodologies challenge the dominance of Western research traditions and question who produces knowledge, for whom, and for what purpose. Decolonial theories emphasise the importance of situated knowledge, recognising that knowledge is shaped by place, history, culture and lived experience rather than being universal or neutral. This perspective responds to long-standing concerns about the West's appropriation of knowledge and highlights how communities across the world address shared problems through locally grounded solutions.
Questions:
- How do researchers apply decolonising approaches to create alternative ways of investigating the world?
- What methods have been used or included in the research design to challenge established scientific paradigms and methodologies?
- In what ways can researchers incorporate place-based education, funds of knowledge and local knowledge systems in their methodologies and research design?
- How can research be culturally responsive and position learners’ cultural backgrounds as legitimate and powerful foundations in the research design and impact strategies?
We invite submissions that engage with these themes and contribute to ongoing scholarly dialogue on innovative and ethical research practices.
