Call for Interest opens for 2026 Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education
The University of Manchester has announced the Call for Interest for lightning talks and research posters for its upcoming international conference, Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Balancing Equity, Access, and Innovation.
The University of Manchester has announced the Call for Interest for lightning talks and research posters for its upcoming international conference, , taking place 9 - 10 June 2026.
Hosted by the , this hybrid event will bring together educators, researchers, students, policymakers, and technology specialists from around the world to explore the intersection of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), equity, and accessibility in higher education.
As AI technologies transform the way universities teach, assess, and collaborate, the conference will provide a critical forum to examine who benefits from these changes and who risks being left behind.
鈥淕enerative AI is reshaping higher education in powerful ways, but the real challenge is ensuring it supports all learners,鈥� said , Principal Investigator and Lead Conference Organiser.鈥淭his event will focus on how we can design, use, and govern AI systems to make higher education more equitable and inclusive.鈥�
Exploring the future of inclusive AI in education
Through keynotes, interactive discussions, lightning talks, and poster presentations, the conference will address questions at the heart of educational transformation:
- How can AI be designed to support diverse learners and reduce digital divides?
- What ethical and policy challenges must institutions confront?
- How can collaboration between educators, technologists, and students ensure GenAI promotes inclusion rather than inequality?
The conference themes include:
- Stakeholder perspectives on GenAI for equality and inclusion
- Inclusive design and implementation of AI tools
- Pedagogical innovation for diverse learners
- Policy studies on GenAI for inclusive education
- Student and staff voices on AI and equity
Call for Lightning Talks and Posters now open
The organising committee is inviting proposals for:
- Lightning Talks (in-person): Short 5 - 7-minute presentations reflecting on practice, policy, or research around GenAI in higher education. Proposals may highlight best practices or share honest accounts of challenges and lessons learned.
- Research Posters (online or in-person): Posters exploring the relationship between AI, accessibility, and inclusion in higher education. Submissions are welcome from all disciplines and especially encouraged from students, early-career researchers, and those foregrounding underrepresented perspectives.
Submission information
- Deadline for submissions: 20 December 2025, 23:59 (GMT)
- Notification of decisions: 31 January 2026
- Submission form:
- For further information, please contact: , Email: skye.zhao@manchester.ac.uk
- Organising team: Dr Skye Zhao, , , and
- Further details: (PDF, 143KB)
About the Conference
As part of the University鈥檚 commitment to equitable innovation, will create a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration across research, policy, and practice.
The event will highlight both opportunities and challenges presented by the rapid rise of GenAI in higher education, addressing issues of ethics, accessibility, data governance, and inclusion.
鈥淲e want to open space for creative and critical conversations about AI鈥檚 role in shaping the future of learning,鈥� added Dr Zhao. 鈥淭his conference is about ensuring that innovation goes hand-in-hand with equity.鈥�
The conference will take place in person at the , University of Manchester, with online participation available for global accessibility.