Call for Proposals

The theme of this year’s conference, ‘Spotlight on Student Futures’, reflects our commitment to empowering students to achieve their full potential through dedicated personal tutoring and advising, broadening their horizons, fostering a sense of belonging and feelings of mattering, supporting mental health and well-being, and continuation and graduate outcomes.

Contributions are being invited that will speak to our specific themes:

1) Student voices. Contributions produced by and/or with students who can share their perspectives on and views of personal tutoring and advising, what they value, and what they need.

2) Belonging and Mattering. Contributions considering how personal tutoring and academic advising foster a sense of belonging and mattering that enables students to engage more successfully with their education.

3) Mental Health and Well-being. Contributions which reflect on how academic advising and personal tutoring can improve student well-being and support students with mental health concerns.

4) Student Success and Graduate Outcomes. Contributions focusing on how academic advising and personal tutoring can empower students to be more successful and achieve a broad range of graduate outcomes, within and beyond their HE studies.

5) Advising in a Time of Change. Contributions which consider how personal tutoring and academic advising can help HE institutions address the diverse and interconnected challenges that they face.

Conference Session Formats

Proposals are invited in one of the following formats. View our Submission Instructions for details of how to submit a proposal.

Presentation [50 minutes]

Individual, a pair or a small team of presenters, present in depth for 50 minutes on an area in which they have significant experience/expertise, and which will be of interest to and have impact for the audience. Time should be allocated for a few questions.

Interactive Workshop [50 minutes]

A participatory interactive workshop should enable delegates to work actively towards learning something new in relation to a specific topic. It should include discussion and collaborative activities which enable reflection on delegates’ own and others experience and sharing and analysis of knowledge.

Lightning Talk [15 minutes]

10-15 minute presentations grouped on a common theme managed by a facilitator within a 50 minute session (three Lightning Talks per session). Each presentation is on a single topic, issue, experience, research area, or innovative practice. Maximum of 5 slides per talk. Any questions to be asked at the end of all the talks. Where possible we will attempt to make time and space available immediately after the session for informal discussions to continue between presenters and delegates.

Discussion Panel [50 minutes]

50 minute discussion focused on a specific topic by a panel of experts. The facilitator and/or audience ask questions of the panel pertinent to the topic and the panellists each give their expert perspective on the questions. The proposal must identify the topic for the session, the name of the facilitator and the names and brief biographical details of the experts who will constitute the panel. Note that including the names of the experts in the proposal does not commit them to participating at this stage, it simply provides useful information to reviewers on likely panellists and their depth and breadth of experience

Access the Online Submission System

The closing date for submissions is Friday, December 12, 2025

Why should I present at the UKAT conference?

Presenting a session at our conference is a good way to showcase your ideas and achievements, get feedback on your work, develop your professional confidence, build your networks and start new discussions. Summarising your project, practice, or research is a great way to engage with friendly and appreciative colleagues in the field to explain your accomplishments and receive feedback that helps you take your work further.

Who can submit a proposal?

UKAT welcomes proposals from individuals and organisations and across the higher education sector, including UKAT members, colleagues at further and higher education institutions, and both not-for-profit and corporate organisations. Proposals are particularly welcomed from inexperienced, as well as experienced, presenters, researchers, and practitioners. UKAT provides mentoring and support to first-time presenters to help you prepare and deliver your session.

If your proposal is accepted, you must register as a conference delegate.

Can I get help with my proposal idea?

If you have an idea for a proposal, but you’re not sure whether it will be suitable, please get in touch! Email the UKAT conference team at conference@ukat.ac.uk for help and advice.

How do I submit a proposal?

Our guidelines for submitting proposals provide full details on the submission process. Proposals are submitted through an online system, and submitting your proposal simply requires you to complete the online submission form. Your proposal should indicate what your session will be about and identify clear objectives and outcomes.

How does UKAT decide which proposals to accept?

The reviewers will carefully consider all session proposals, and choose the successful proposals by asking the following questions:

Does the session have clearly identified objectives and outcomes?
Is the session idea engaging, informative, inspiring?
Is the topic relevant to those who advise students?
The extent to which the proposed session is interactive and facilitates conversations

You should ensure that your proposal answers these questions satisfactorily.

If I present a session, can I claim for my expenses?

Unfortunately, UKAT can’t contribute to your expenses for this conference.

If I present a session, do I have to pay the delegate fee?

Yes, all presenters are required to register as full delegates for the conference and to pay the conference delegate fee.

What is UKAT’s commercial policy?

Whilst UKAT welcomes proposals from both non-profit and corporate organisations, at no time is it permissible for a session or workshop presenter to use his/her presentation to advertise or promote a commercial product, service, or company.

Submission Instructions

If you want to present a session at the conference, please complete the online proposal form to submit a proposal which complies with the guidance given in the Understanding the Online Application Form section below. You don’t need to create the presentation or other materials at this stage.

You can submit as many proposals for consideration as you like. Your proposal(s) must be submitted through the online proposal submission system.