Global Education Challenges Conference 2026
10 - 11 December 2026
The Education University of Hong Kong
North Point Study Centre
19 Cheung Hong Street, North Point, Hong Kong
Theme in 2026:
Shifting into overdrive: Reimagining education for sustainable futures
Welcome Message
We are pleased to announce that the inaugural Global Education Challenges Conference (GECC) will be hosted by the Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, at the North Point Study Centre, 10th-11th December 2026. It will be the First Annual Faculty Conference, reflecting our sincere concern about the global education challenges facing both research and practice. We are warmly inviting scholars, practitioners, and students from around the world to join us!
The theme for GECC 2026 is “Shifting into Overdrive: Reimagining Education for Sustainable Futures”, inspired by the call to action made by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025. We are at a critical moment—our actions now will determine whether we achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or fall further behind (United Nations, 2025).
Achieving inclusive, equitable and quality education for all is far from value-neutral and challenge-free. While the SDGs provide a powerful framework for action, they can also risk becoming hollow rhetoric, used for institutional branding rather than fostering real-world impact. GECC 2026 seeks to unite global voices to reflect on past progress, address present challenges, and reimagine education as a transformative force.
The conference will address a number of questions, including:
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“What particular challenges are facing educational research and practice in responding to the SDGs?”
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“To what extent are we failing in achieving the SDGs and in what ways?”
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“How can interdisciplinary educational research tackle these challenges?”
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“To what extent can we achieve inclusive and equitable quality education?”
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“What critical priorities do we need to accelerate progress?”
We cordially invite you to submit abstracts that respond to those and other questions and collectively reimagine education for sustainable futures. We look forward to collaborating with you in person at GECC 2026 in Hong Kong!
References
United Nations. (2025). The sustainable development goals report 2025. United Nations. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/
Keynote Speakers
Professor of Education;
Academic Director of the Perivoli Africa Research Centre,
University of Bristol
Important Dates
Date | Event |
|---|---|
2 March (Mon) | Call for Abstract |
30 June (Tue) | Deadline of Abstract Submission |
1 September (Tue) | Notification of Abstract Acceptance |
1 September (Tue) | Registration Opens |
1 October (Thur) | Deadline of Early Bird Registration |
1 December (Tue) | Deadline of Regular Registration |
10-11 December (Thur-Fri) | Conference |