Presentation Formats

Please refer to the submission guidelines before submitting your proposal on-line here Some tips for writing an effective abstract, especially useful for new presenters are also available here

You are invited to submit a proposal for the International AHE Conference 2026 in five possible formats:

Choosing a Presentation Format

The five possible formats for AHE Conference are described below, each with its own advantages but all designed to give at least 50% of time for discussion rather than just presentation.

  1. Poster and Pitch: This popular format involves bringing to conference a hard copy portrait style A0 poster. You will give a five-minute pitch in a themed room followed by time for the audience to interact with individual presenters. These sessions attract a special interest audience and provide great networking opportunities. Poster & Pitch presentations may focus on research or critical evaluation of innovative practice.
  2. Presentation of research or evaluation: Present your research or critical evaluation of innovative practice project formally with a maximum of 15 minutes for presentation. You may bring PowerPoint slides (on a USB memory stick), a paper, or web link to support your presentation. There will be 15 minutes for discussion.
  3. Round table presentation: This format provides an opportunity to share critical evaluation of ongoing research or innovative practice with 5 minute initial presentations contributing to critical discussion, you may accompany your presentation with a hard copy handout or web link. There will be up to 6 other presenters within a one-hour session which we form into themed or related topics. Other interested conference delegates will join the group and contribute to discussion. This format particularly supports making connections, new thinking, and networking.
  4. Mini-keynote Presentation: This is a challenging format which requires careful planning and a high-quality proposal with a well-constructed argument. You have just 5 minutes to present your big idea, supported by up to six slides, possibly with mainly graphic images and minimal text. There is a brief time for discussion after each presentation. The main advantage is that you get to address the whole conference audience and the session is often good fun and inspiring. Getting a mini-keynote proposal accepted is highly competitive so we welcome submissions but may need to offer you an alternative format. It is important to note that you will submit your slides by the deadline Monday 08 June 2026 in advance of conference so that they can be merged to create one file including all speakers for the session enabling smooth transitions.
  5. Symposia: This format will consist of three (four is possible but is a squeeze) individual papers on a related topic and will be presented and discussed in a 70- minute session.  A symposium abstract should be submitted by the lead presenter (convenor) providing an introduction (400 words) to the research topic and explaining how the individual papers address different aspects.  Each paper should be submitted by the individual authors as separate proposals to the conference.  Where symposia submissions are not accepted, the research papers will be considered through peer review for presentation as individual papers. In support of convenors, members of the AHE committee are happy to act as a discussant for your symposium. Convenors may arrange their own discussant but please let us know, or we will appoint one from the committee. Normally draft papers from each presenter within the symposium are sent to the discussant at least 5 days in advance of conference. 

The AHE Network is leading the development of assessment for learning in higher education