ECRPL 2027

Call for contributions

Fourth European Conference on Reflective Practice-based Learning (ECRPL) 2027

We invite educators, researchers, and practitioners to join us in exploring current developments, challenges, and opportunities related to Reflective Practice-based Learning (RPL) in higher education, professional education, and professional practice at the Fourth European Conference on Reflective Practice-based Learning.

Following the success of the Third European Conference on Reflective Practice-based Learning, we are pleased to announce that the Fourth ECRPL Conference will take place in Aalborg, Denmark, from 22 to 24 November 2027.

Reflective Practice-based Learning in Changing Contexts

Reflective Practice-based Learning is an emerging contribution to educational research and professional education. It emphasises experience, reflection, inquiry, and action as central dimensions of learning and professional development. RPL recognises reflection as an integrated part of learning and offers important perspectives on the relationship between theory, practice, professional identity, and professional action.

Professional education and professional practice are currently shaped by significant societal, technological, organisational, and cultural transformations. Learning and professional development increasingly unfold through complex interactions between people, technologies, materials, environments, professional practices, and institutional contexts. Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, changing professional roles, new learning environments, and evolving forms of collaboration are transforming how professionals learn, participate, make judgments, and develop their professional identities. At the same time, questions of participation, belonging, inclusion, and professional responsibility are becoming increasingly central across educational and professional contexts.

The conference welcomes both theoretical and empirical contributions related to reflective teaching, learning, supervision, placement learning, organisational development, and professional practice in higher education and across professions. The conference programme includes full and short paper presentations (research tracks), keynotes, poster presentations, networking opportunities, a pre-conference master class, and a social programme with a welcome reception and conference dinner.  

Information about keynote speakers and the conference programme will be updated continuously.

Conference Themes

We are particularly interested in papers that explore the following three thematic areas:

Submission Guidelines

All contributions must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference.

Abstract

Abstract should include a title (max. 75 characters) and an explicit summary of you presentation that states the problem, the scientific relevance, the methods used, and the major results and conclusion (max. 250 words). Do not include scientific symbols, numbers, references, bullets, or lists in the abstract. All abstracts must be written in English. 

Submission of abstract

Please submit your abstract by email on ecrpl@ucn.dk no later than December 14th, 2026. The abstract should be submitted in a word-document attachment to your email. Please remember to provide names of all authors and their institutions.

Full paper

Submissions describing original, empirical, complete research. Full Paper proposals should not exceed 10 A4 pages, including figures and references. 

Short paper

Submissions describing research in progress. Short papers are likely to present a smaller and more focused contribution, which will benefit from the feedback that early exposure can provide. Short paper proposals should not exceed 6 A4 pages, including figures and references. 

Poster

Submissions presenting work within the overall conference themes in all possible stages: work-in-progress, initial research results, projects in initial stages of development, completed projects, and case studies. Poster presentations will be themed in moderated sessions with a short oral presentation and discussion with participants in the poster session. Posters must be presented by a registered participant in the scheduled session. Abstracts relevant to the conference and not invited for submission of a full or short paper presentation will be invited for a poster presentation. Authors of posters accepted for presentation will be required to prepare a max. A0 (1189mm*841mm) size poster for display. 

Publication of proceeding

Proceeding is published at AAU Open Publishing as open access CC-By 4 licenses. The publications will be indexed in Directory of Open Access Journals, Scopus and expectedly the Norwegian Register for scientific journals, series and Publisher.