IFNTF Symposathon 2024 - Transforming Teaching Excellence (STUDENTS)

The International Federation of National Teaching Fellows (IFNTF) is pleased to host its third virtual “symposathon” (Symposium + Marathon) in December 2024.

IFNTF (https://www.ifntf.org) is a non-for-profit organization that aims to bring together award-winning teachers from across the world for the global advancement of excellence in learning and teaching in higher education. The federation was officially launched at the House of Lords in London, UK, in September 2016, and currently has members from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK and the USA, and all members aim to work in collaboration on innovative projects and initiatives on teaching and learning pedagogies in higher education.

This is the sixth annual international summit/symposium held by IFNTF. The IFNTF First World Summit in 2017 in Birmingham, UK, featured the theme Defining Teaching Excellence across Disciplines. The IFNTF Second World Summit in Halifax, Canada, in 2018, was themed Nurturing Teaching Excellence across Disciplines. The IFNTF 2021 Symposium held in conjunction with the Canadian STLHE conference featured Shaping Teaching Excellence across Disciplines. In 2022, IFNTF held its first “symposathon” themed RE-Shaping Teaching Excellence: Pandemic and the New Now. The second symposathon themed Augmenting Teaching Excellence: Embracing the future of education with AI and Emerging Technologies was held in December 2023.

This year the theme of the symposathon will be Transforming Teaching Excellence for the future. In the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, embracing transformation is key to sustaining and enhancing teaching excellence. The proposed theme for the next IFNTF conference, "Transforming Teaching Excellence for the Future," captures the necessity to adapt, innovate, and lead in a dynamic academic environment. The topics will range from Digital Transformation, Lifelong learning, Upskilling and Micro-credentialing, Competency-based education, Equity and Inclusion, Innovative Teaching Practices, and Mental health and well-being. The IFNTF symposathon will feature keynote speakers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA, presentations from authors of accepted papers, and participant-led breakout sessions and panel discussions.

IMPORTANT DATES

Submissions due: Oct. 15, 2024 (11.59 PM Anywhere on Earth (AOE))

Notification of acceptance: November 1, 2024

Registrations due (for accepted authors): November 20, 2024

REGISTRATION FEE AND DATES

Registration fee for authors: 30 GBP

Early bird registration fee for other participants: 30 GBP

Regular registration fee for other participants: 40 GBP

Student registration: FREE

Early bird registration deadline is November 20, 2024, 11.59 PM (AOE)

Last registration for all participants is December 2, 2024, 11.59 PM (AOE)

SYMPOSATHON TIMINGS

In its true spirit as an international federation, the symposathon will run in multiple time zones that will be convenient for participants in different time zones. Each time zone will host the symposathon in a 2-hour time slot. Please see the timings of the symposathon below.

Symposathon Time Slots

Monday, December 2, 2024:

Time Slot 1: 5 PM to 8 PM UK Time (12 noon to 3 PM Eastern Time US/Canada)

Time Slot 2: 3 PM to 6 PM Eastern Time US/Canada (8 PM to 11 PM UK Time)
Time Slot 3: ??

Estimates: 12 paper presentations (20 minutes each); 3 keynotes (20 minutes each); 2 panel discussions (30 minutes each)

PAPER SUBMISSION

We welcome submissions for paper sessions. Papers can be theoretical, conceptual, and/or empirical. Authors should submit an extended summary limited to 1500 words (excluding references). Papers should be related to the key theme of the conference and the key task areas.

Submissions are welcome from all educators. However, at least one of the co-authors of each paper must be eligible for full membership at IFNTF. That is, at least one of the co-authors must have received a national teaching fellowship in their home country.

To submit your extended summary, please go to https://forms.gle/xXv67a3DZuAmRCuv6

All authors will be invited to expand their paper submission for publication in an e-book which will be available on the IFNTF website. The eBook produced from last years “symposathon” is available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C9N2F2HJ

Host or Publisher Dr Steve Rutherford