QueerER: The Queer Educational Research Conference 2026

Join us on 3 June 2026 at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford for QueerER: The inaugural Queer Educational Research Conference.

QueerER is a vibrant one-day event exploring The Transformative Power of LGBTQ+ Education. This conference is for everyone working in education with an interest in LGBTQ+ inclusion, from early years and schools to further and higher education, as well as those involved in professional development and lifelong learning.

QueerER brings together researchers, practitioners and their allies, uniting those who teach, study, lead, and support education in all its forms. Whether your work is rooted in theory, practice, creativity, or community engagement, QueerER will provide a welcoming and safe space to share ideas, celebrate inclusive practice, and connect across sectors.

This conference is organised by ARU in partnership with University of Bedfordshire, University of Brighton (Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender) and University of Derby.

Our call for papers is open until 5 January 2026 – see below for information on what we're looking for, and how to submit.

Keynote speaker

We are delighted to announce that Lord Michael Cashman CBE will open our QueerER conference.

Michael Cashman is a pioneering actor, activist and politician who co-founded Stonewall. He became the first openly gay Labour MEP before being made a life peer as Lord Cashman of Limehouse. A lifelong campaigner for equality and human rights, he has been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ progress in Britain and Europe.

Earlier in his career, he made television history when, as Colin Russell in EastEnders, he shared the first same-sex kiss on a British soap in 1987. His memoir One of Them: From Albert Square to Parliament Square was published by Bloomsbury in February 2020.

Call for academic papers and posters

We welcome contributions from:

• researchers
• educators
• teachers
• students
• those working within all phases of education.

Whether theoretical, practical, or community-based, we are especially interested in work that supports emerging LGBTQ+ voices and promotes collaboration.

Suggested submission topics

Submissions may relate to (but are not limited to):

• Inclusive curriculum and queer pedagogies
  Embedding LGBTQ+ identities and histories in teaching and learning.
• Mentorship and academic pathways
  Supporting emerging researchers through mentorship, allyship, and scaffolding.
• Creativity and expression in education
  Artistic, performative, and creative approaches to learning and resistance.
• Community engagement and activism
  Partnerships between education and LGBTQ+ communities for social change.
• Policy, leadership and institutional change
  Transforming educational spaces to be more inclusive and equitable.
• Intersectionality and belonging
  Exploring how race, disability, class, and other identities intersect with LGBTQ+ experiences.
• Digital and global perspectives
  Online learning, virtual communities, and international collaboration.
• Navigating precarity and uncertain times
  Exploring how LGBTQ+ educators negotiate precarity and instability amid shifting social, economic, and political climates.
• Defiant hope and quiet resistance
  Amplifying acts of hope and everyday resistance in educational spaces.

Submission guidelines

• Abstracts (max 250 words) for papers or posters.
• Include a short bio (100 words) and affiliation.
• Indicate which topics(s) your submission relates to.

Submit to: [email protected]

Deadline: Monday 5 January 2026.