Open Call · Submit by September 2026
Open Call: Tradition, Research & Future Practice
The symposium invites proposals from educators, researchers, students, designers, industry professionals and independent practitioners worldwide. Affiliated or independent — all are welcome.
Submit a proposal →Submission guidelines and channel coming soon.
Who Can Apply
- Academic staff & educators
- Researchers & doctoral candidates
- BA, MA & PhD students
- Industry professionals
- Independent designers, artists & makers
- Curators & cultural practitioners
- Cross-disciplinary practitioners across fashion, accessories, product design, craft, material research & technology
Topics
1 · Tradition & Cultural Contexts
Craft traditions and heritage techniques, material cultures and local knowledge, indigenous and regional perspectives, cultural identity and storytelling, teaching tradition in contemporary education.
2 · Research & Knowledge Production
Practice-based and artistic research, material innovation and experimentation, sustainability research, design methodologies, new approaches to accessory-design scholarship.
3 · Pedagogy & Curriculum Development
Teaching methodologies, curriculum design and specialisation models, interdisciplinary opportunities, balancing vocational and academic competencies, future educational frameworks.
4 · Industry, Professional Practice & Future Skills
Academia–industry collaboration, emerging professional roles, portfolio development and mentoring, entrepreneurship and independent practice, manufacturing, production and market shifts.
5 · Future Practice & Emerging Directions
Digital and AI-assisted design, wearables and smart accessories, digital fabrication and customization, circular systems, ethics and responsible production, speculative and future-oriented design.
Presentation Formats
- Academic presentation (20–45 min)
- Practice-based presentation
- Student presentation
- Research-in-progress presentation
- Industry case study
- Personal reflection / methodology
- Panel contribution
- Workshop proposal (20–30 participants)
Submission Requirements
- Presentation title
- Abstract (300–400 words)
- Preferred format
- Estimated duration
- Author(s) and affiliation
- Short biography (max. 150 words)
Submissions are reviewed by an international academic and professional committee. Selected contributions may be invited for peer-reviewed publication, edited proceedings and an online knowledge archive.
Timeline
- June 2026Open Call launch
- September 2026Submission deadline
- October 2026Review process
- December 2026Programme announcement
- 5–6 March 2027Symposium