The BNU Academic Conference 2026

The BNU Academic Conference 2026
Inclusion, Collaboration and Integration - Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies and Inclusive Approaches to Research and Education.

The BNU Academic Conference 2026 is a two-day event taking place on Tuesday, June 30th and Wednesday, July 1st 2026.

BNU’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKO) and Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice (LEAP) have come together to co-organise an event dedicated to scholarly approaches that are trans/interdisciplinary and socially inclusive. We aim to address the urgency of working equitably and collaboratively across disciplines, teams and communities of practice towards excellence in research and education.

The Conference will take place at BNU’s High Wycombe Campus, with the first day organised by the RKO and the second day organised by the LEAP team. Each day will present a diverse programme of sessions and activities focused on inclusivity, collaboration and integration in academic practice.

Day One (30th June 2026) BNU Conference: Research and Knowledge Exchange
The first day will highlight the importance of transdisciplinary research co-designed and co-produced with partners beyond the academy, and explore systematically the integrative methods that underpin interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange.

Day One Keynote Speaker:
Iris van der Tuin is Professor in Theory of Cultural Inquiry at Utrecht University (Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies) and Utrecht University’s academic lead for Interdisciplinary Education.

Trained as a feminist epistemologist and working as an interdisciplinarian, she works at the intersection of philosophies of science and the humanities (including science and technology studies), cultural theory, and critical and creative practices of cultural inquiry. These fields meet in humanities scholarship that traverses the 'two cultures’ and expands beyond the boundaries of academia into arts and culture. Iris is interested in the new and interdisciplinary humanities and in practice-based research of interdisciplinary teaching and learning in Higher Education.

Day Two (1st July 2026) BNU Conference: Teaching and Learning
The second day will be dedicated to inclusive and integrative pedagogy and to the excellence of scholarship in teaching and learning. It will showcase the potential of collaborative and interdisciplinary pedagogy at BNU and beyond.

Day Two Keynote Speaker: Sarah Jones

Sarah is a global education leader who challenges traditional modes of delivery to drive accessible and transformative practice-led curriculum. She has a particular focus on the influence of AI and emerging technologies to look at new models of learning and the application in different educational settings.

In her capacity as Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education at Southampton Solent University, Sarah leads the strategy for learning, teaching, quality and enhancement. She drives growth and excellence across a TEF Triple Gold institution recognised for outstanding student experience and outcomes.

With a global reputation for digital transformation and technology-enhanced learning, Sarah has collaborated with Apple and Google, implemented a university-wide digital strategy, and co-created an AI certification bridging academia and industry. Her leadership has delivered measurable improvements in student experience, academic support, and feedback quality, consistently outperforming sector averages.
As a Professor of Education Innovation and a Chartered Manager, Sarah remains driven by one goal: to disrupt, innovate, and empower students and institutions to thrive in the digital age.

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