Rising to the Challenges of Higher Education, Dubai
- DateThursday, 17 September 2026 (10:00 - 18:00) (Dubai)
- LocationThe University of Birmingham Dubai, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Contact
Building on insights gathered from previous conferences and community feedback on the most pressing challenges and opportunities in contemporary business education, the 2026 conference will focus on rising to the challenges of Higher Education landscape through four themes:
- Transformative impact of digitalisation and AI on teaching, learning and assessment;
- Inclusive, responsible and impact driven Higher Education;
- University, industry and future of work;
- Emerging challenges and diverse perspectives in Higher Education.
We are delighted by the excellent response to our Call for Papers and would like to thank everyone who submitted an abstract. The conference programme has now been finalised and showcases a wide range of innovative practice, research, case studies and collaborative discussions from colleagues across Birmingham Business School and partner institutions.
Registration is now open. We warmly invite colleagues from Birmingham Business School, the University of Birmingham, the University of Birmingham Dubai and our neighbouring institutions to join us for what promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking day.
By bringing together these complementary focal points, the conference aims to support educators and institutions in responding proactively to contemporary challenges while shaping the future of business education.
As higher education continues to evolve in response to technological change, shifting student expectations, sustainability challenges and the future of work, this conference provides an opportunity to come together as a community to exchange ideas, celebrate innovation and shape the future of business education.
Recognising the importance of diverse perspectives, the 2026 organising committee continues to bring together academic staff and professional services colleagues, fostering enriched dialogue, shared practice and strengthened community connections through networking and collaborative learning opportunities.
Conference themes
Conference themes
Track 1: Transformative Teaching, Learning and Assessment
How must teaching, curriculum design, and assessment evolve to meet the changing realities of higher education?
Topics may include curriculum redesign, assessment in the age of AI, academic integrity, technology-enhanced learning, inclusive assessment design, learning analytics, interdisciplinary approaches, and innovative feedback practices.
Track 2: Student Success, Belonging, and Inclusive Higher Education
How can institutions foster equitable, supportive, and high-performing learning environments?
Topics may include equity and inclusion, intersectionality, wellbeing and mental health, student engagement and belonging, international education contexts, accessibility, personal tutoring models, and student partnership initiatives.
Track 3: Universities, Industry, and the Future of Work
How can higher education respond strategically to labour market transformation and societal change?
Topics may include employability, work-integrated learning, professional accreditation, micro-credentials, skills-based education, AI literacy, entrepreneurship education, and industry collaboration.
Track 4: Responsible Business, Sustainability, and Education for Societal Impact
What is the role of higher education in advancing responsible leadership, sustainability, and ethical governance?
Topics may include embedding ESG in curricula, responsible AI governance, climate education, net-zero initiatives, ethics education, PRME-aligned practices, community engagement, and social impact measurement.
Conference schedule
Our conference schedule for the Education Conference 2026 is now available for download.
The registration deadline is Friday 11th September 2026.