Call for Contributions:
EBSN Annual Conference 2026

Invitation

The Conference Programme Committee is pleased to invite proposals for contributions to the EBSN Annual Conference & General Assembly 2026, hosted by NOVA University of Lisbon, taking place in Lisbon (Portugal), 17-19 June 2026. 

Under the theme “Basic Skills for Life, Work and Democratic Participation in Times of Transformation”, the conference will bring together policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders to exchange evidence, innovations and actionable approaches that strengthen adults’ foundational skills-so people can navigate everyday life, adapt in the labour market, and participate meaningfully in democratic societies.

Why this theme now?

Europe is facing overlapping transitions-digital and AI-driven change, labour market restructuring, demographic pressures, and rising concerns about democratic resilience in the context of disinformation and polarisation. In this context, basic skills are not a “nice to have”: they are a prerequisite for accessing services and rights, progressing in work and learning, and participating in civic and democratic life.

The urgency is underlined by the latest OECD PIAAC results, which highlight persistent skills gaps and inequalities among adults. In response, EBSN and EAEA have called for a stronger commitment to lifelong and life-wide learning and for more coherent governance and investment to ensure adult learning systems can reach those most excluded-captured in the message that ‘PIAAC demands action’.

This agenda is closely aligned with major EU priorities, including the Union of Skills and the Action Plan on Basic Skills, which emphasise the need to strengthen foundational skills across literacy, numeracy, digital and citizenship domains as a basis for competitiveness, social cohesion and democratic resilience. While recent initiatives have renewed attention to basic skills, policy focus and resources continue to prioritise children and schooling, leaving many adults insufficiently supported. The Conference therefore places adult basic skills firmly at the centre, focusing on what works-at national, regional and local levels-to strengthen adults’ opportunities for life, work and meaningful democratic participation in times of transformation.

What we are looking for

EBSN invites proposals that advance policy-level dialogue and mutual learning, while also showcasing innovations that can strengthen adults’ basic skills for life, work and democratic participation. The conference is designed as a space where decision-makers, practitioners and researchers can jointly examine what the evidence suggests, what works on the ground, and what needs to change in systems, funding and delivery.

We welcome contributions from:

• Social partners and labour market actors, including employers, chambers, sector bodies, Public Employment Services (PES) and workplace learning providers.
• Civil society organisations and community actors working with underserved groups, and supporting outreach, inclusion, and participation.
• Projects and innovators (including EU-funded initiatives) developing new tools, approaches and partnerships for outreach, learning design, digital inclusion and system improvement.

We particularly encourage contributions that reflect collaboration across these stakeholder groups.

In times of accelerating transformation, skills needs and gaps can emerge faster than traditional policy cycles. The Conference aims to strengthen the “action chain” from evidence → to public understanding → to policy design → to implementation capacity, ensuring that adult learning and basic skills provision are visible, credible, and policy-relevant.  Proposals should explicitly indicate where they contribute within this ‘action chain’.

The Conference is designed to strengthen learning and exchange between policy, practice and research, supporting more agile responses to emerging skills needs. It aims to create a space where policymakers, practitioners and researchers can jointly examine what works in practice-helping actors identify early signals, test approaches, adapt quickly and scale effective solutions. Therefore, the conference will prioritise interactive formats that encourage dialogue between policy, practice and research.

Importantly, this includes contributions that develop and strengthen the evidence base of adult basic skills provision through practice and implementation. We therefore particularly welcome proposals that examine how evidence is generated and used in real learning contexts-such as through professional development for educators, innovative teaching and learning approaches, instructional design, learner assessment, learner support systems, pilot evaluations, and implementation research.

Parallel sessions and the marketplace should therefore move beyond describing challenges by highlighting what can be scaled, transferred or adapted, and which mechanisms (governance, funding, partnerships, workforce capacity, data use) enable successful scaling up and sustained impact.

(The conference aims to reflect a balanced mix of countries, stakeholder perspectives and sub-themes, and to support cross-country learning among policy makers and stakeholders.)