Graz University invites you to Europe's largest education research conference

Vice Rector Joachim Reidl congratulates the organizers of the EARLI Congress on a successful start. Photo: University of Graz/Tzivanopoulos

At the end of August, the University of Graz will become the center of international education research when experts from around the world gather for the EARLI conference. The focus will be on new approaches and the scientific foundations for successful teaching and learning in the 21st century.

Around 2,500 education researchers will gather on the campus of the University of Graz in late summer for Europe's largest conference on teaching and learning research.

The event is organized by EARLI (European Association for Research in Learning and Instruction), which has been bringing together experts from a wide range of disciplines for 40 years. They investigate the background to successful teaching and learning and develop new methods for delivering education effectively. Participants from all over the world enjoy a packed program of symposia, paper presentations, and nine keynote speeches.

Some of them even traveled from Argentina, Japan, and New Zealand. “This impressive presence of the international research community here in Graz is a tribute to the organizing team led by Roland Grabner and Stephan Vogel,” says Joachim Reidl. The Vice Rector for Research emphasized at the opening: “The large number of guests also underscores the importance of the University of Graz as an open platform for the exchange of knowledge.”

New learning tools

International networking among scientists promotes the transfer of know-how and also accelerates the implementation of research results in the classroom. “Our experts play an active role in curriculum development in their home countries,” explains EARLI President Lucia Jason. “Their knowledge has been crucial for the development of digital learning tools such as those used in many schools today.” Researchers are increasingly focusing on the social aspects of learning.

Scientists at the University of Graz present their work in the field of neuroscientific learning research. Stephan Vogel uses EEG and MRI to analyze what happens in the human brain when perceiving numbers and quantities. His colleague Roland Grabner investigates how gifts develop into talents. To this end, he studies people who achieve peak performance in chess and mathematics, among other things. He explores questions such as: What skills and personality traits are necessary for this, and how do the brains of experts work?

Future Education

What can education researchers expect at the conference in Graz? “We establish close contacts with colleagues from related disciplines,” says Vogel. “The Earli conference at the University of Graz is an excellent platform for strengthening the international visibility of our diverse and high-quality education research,” adds Grabner.

That is why the university research network FUTURE EDUCATION will also be represented in the conference program. Among other things, the Future Education Awards will be presented. Four early career scientists will be honored for outstanding transdisciplinary research in the field of teaching and learning.

Roman Vilgut

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