ECRPL 2025

Call for contributions

Third European Conference on Reflective Practice-based Learning (ECRPL) 2025

The theme of the conference in 2025 is "Reflective practice-based learning and the Future of Practice-oriented Education"

We hereby invite educators, researchers, and practitioners to join us in further explorations of current practices of Reflective Practice-based Learning in higher education and professions at the ECRPL 2025 conference. Following the success of the second European Conference on Reflective Practice-based Learning (ECRPL) held in Aalborg, Denmark, from 20th to 22nd November 2023, we are excited to announce the call for contributions for ECRPL 2025

Reflective Practice-based Learning (RPL), a recent contribution to the educational field, emphasises experience, thinking, and action as key concepts underpinning learning. RPL promotes reflection as part of the learning experience and is particularly suited for professional practice and education, suggesting an approach to the ever-relevant relationship between theory and practice.

The conference invites contributions regarding reflective practice-based teaching and learning in professional practices in higher education and the intersection between the two. The conference's focus is research that addresses aspects such as organisational perspectives on RPL and lifelong learning, as well as placement and practice-oriented RPL and RPL in times of AI and other disruptive technologies.

The conference programme includes full and short paper presentations (research tracks), keynotes, poster presentations, networking opportunities and a social programme with a welcome reception and conference dinner.

Keynote speakers

We are proud to present one of our keynote speakers for ECRPL 2025. The list will be continuously updated.

Keynote speaker: Anders Buch

Placement and the Politics of the ‘Practical’ in Education. The critical dimension of RPL

Traditionally, schools have been viewed as the primary setting for learning, while workplaces have been designated as spaces for applying acquired knowledge and skills. Recently, however, this model has come into question, with educational placements now being recognized as valuable sites for fostering meaningful learning experiences. Placement is increasingly seen not only as a bridge between education and employment but also as a powerful catalyst for developing critical skills and insights.

While this shift challenges the traditional division of authority between school-based and work-based learning, it often tends to reproduce the longstanding theory-practice dichotomy in education. In this keynote, I will examine key trends in educational policy and discuss how a reflective, problem-based approach to placement can help reimagine the relationship between school and workplace learning-offering a fresh perspective on facilitating problem-based learning and bridging the theory-practice gap.

Biography

Anders Buch is a Senior Associate Professor at VIA University College and is affiliated with Jönköping University. His research centers on professions, professionalism, and technological expert cultures, with a theoretical approach grounded in Science & Technology Studies, Practice Theory, and classical American Pragmatism. Dr. Buch has published extensively on topics including knowledge, learning, education, professionalism, and the professional development of engineers.

Contributions

We welcome both theoretical and empirical contributions, and we are particularly interested in papers that explore the following three thematic areas:

Submissions should be original, unpublished work and must be in English. All abstracts will undergo editorial review. All papers will be blinded peer-reviewed. All accepted abstracts will be invited to submit a full or short paper or a one-pager in case of a poster submission, depending on the author/s choice. The contributions will be published in an open-access proceeding indexed in Scopus.

Deadlines for submission of abstract, paper and posters

• Abstract submission open 06/10-2024. The deadline for submission is extended to 7/1-2025. Notification of results based on editorial review 13/1-2025. Approved abstract is mandatory before submission of papers and posters
• Full paper & short paper submission opens January 2025. The deadline for submission is 28/4-2025. Notification of results based on peer-review 30/6-2025
• Poster and one-pager for posters open January 2025. The deadline for submission is 28/4-2025. Notification of results based on review 30/6-2025

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 12th, 2024. 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 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.