The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Wilfrid Laurier University invite established academics and emerging student researchers to submit paper proposals for the conference: Equipping Student Leaders as Partners for Sustainable Humanitarian Action to be held between March 30 and April 1, 2023, in Waterloo, Ontario.
Established academics and emerging student researchers are encouraged to submit paper proposals related to empirical research, case studies, or reflective essays focused on higher education and humanitarian action, particularly student-led initiatives. Proposals must be submitted through the website by October 31, 2022.
We invite proposals for case studies or reflective essays about specific examples of enduring student-led and campus-based humanitarian initiatives that explore some of the following questions:
- How has student leadership manifested itself in this initiative?
- What circumstances led to its formation and to its long-term success?
- What is the relationship between students, faculty and administrators in its operations?
- What is the relationship between the initiative and academic learning?
- What are the most significant challenges it has faced over the course of its life and how have these been addressed leading to change?
- How has student government been involved in the success of the initiative?
- How has the initiative contributed to demonstrable student leadership development?
- What can be learned in terms of structuring effective student partnerships with universities and colleges in the future
We invite proposals for research papers or reflective essays that explore some of the following questions related to higher education and humanitarian action:
- How have higher education institutions around the world responded to humanitarian crises this century, and what can be learned from their efforts?
- What national or regional realities impact the ways in which higher education institutions respond to the growing refugee crisis?
- How have higher education institutions engaged with partner institutions in refugee hosting countries to address the impact and realities of mass displacement?
- What are the most salient critiques of humanitarian engagement by higher education and how might these influence future action?
- What role have students played in driving or leading campus-based engagement with the humanitarian crises?
- What efforts have the UN and other non-government organizations made to encourage higher education engagement with humanitarian crises?
- What role has government played in encouraging higher education engagement with humanitarian crises?
Will there be the opportunity to publish material presented at the conference?
Yes. There will be two opportunities to publish case studies and reflective writing that captures your own journey before and during the conference. A small number of pieces will be considered for publication. The International Journal of Students as Partners will publish select pieces in a Special Section in 2024. Together the UNHCR and ISOW plan to publish a broader collection of writing by conference delegates in a separate volume: Humanizing Higher Education.
