Each year, WERA holds a Focal Meeting in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of a WERA Member Association. Focal Meetings consist of a strand of paper and symposia sessions, lectures, and other substantive activities focusing on issues of significance to education research through a world-wide perspective. Research that is comparative, cross-cultural, international, or transnational in conceptualization, scope, or design is emphasized.
WERA members (members of WERA-affiliated Associations and Institutions, as well as Individual Members) are entitled to discounted rates when registering for WERA Annual Focal Meetings.
The WERA Global Footprint
From 2016 to 2024, WERA’s reach in its annual Focal Meetings has expanded across 91 countries, reflecting a worldwide education research community with engagement and representation in the Global South, the East, and the Global North. This diversity fosters collaboration and innovation across hemispheres, reinforcing WERA’s commitment to building connections and advancing impact worldwide.
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Türkiye
- Armenia
- Austria
- Bangladesh
- Argentina
- Australia
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Finland
- Fiji
- France
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Guam, United States
- Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Lithuania
- Macao SAR, China
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
2025. João Pessoa, Brazil
Submissions are open from 6 January to 6 February 2025. Click here for more details and to submit an abstract.
The World Education Research Association (WERA) invites submissions for papers, posters, and symposia for the WERA 2025 Focal Meeting, to be held on 26-30 October 2025 at the Education Center, Campus I, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil. Celebrating WERA’s 15th anniversary, this meeting is part of the 42nd National Association of Research and Graduate Studies on Education/Associação Nacional de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação em Educação (ANPED) conference and features a program of papers, posters, and symposia sessions focused on globally significant education research.
Important Dates for WERA 2025 Focal Meeting Call
06 January 2025 Submission starts 17 February 2025 Submission ends (extended and final deadline) 15 April 2025 Decisions announced 15 May 2025 All presenting authors to be registered 15 June 2025 Authors notified of preliminary date and time of presentation 21 August 2025 Registration deadline for all participants 26 October 2025 Pre-Conference Workshops 26-30 October 2025 WERA 2025 Focal Meeting Details
The city of João Pessoa, capital of Paraíba, will host the main academic event in the field of education in 2025 in Brazil: the 42nd ANPEd National Meeting & WERA Focal Meeting 2025, which will take place from October 26 to 30 at the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), in João Pessoa, state of Paraíba, in Northeastern Brazil.
With the theme “Neoconservatism in the world and education in the face of socio-political-environmental violence”, the event is organized by the National Association for Graduate Studies and Research in Education (ANPEd) and the World Education Research Association (WERA).
Contact for more information: wera@anped.org.br.
- Date: October 26-30, 2025
- Venue: Education Center – Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, state of Paraíba, Brazil
- WERA Focal Meeting 2025 website: https://anped.org.br/wera2025/en
2024. Manchester, UK
September 8-12, 2024, University of Manchester, UK
Details
Welcoming almost 2,000 delegates from more than 60 countries around the globe, the BERA Conference & WERA Focal Meeting 2024 provided a dynamic platform for researchers to share their findings and insights, sparking valuable discussions within the education field. It also promoted meaningful global connections and encouraged ongoing collaboration among educators and scholars worldwide.
To view photos from the event, click here.
Highlights video
2023. Singapore
November 22-24, 2023
Details
The WERA 2023 Focal Meeting was held at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technology University (NTU), Singapore from 22-24 November 2023. It coincided with the celebration of WERA’s 13th anniversary, and was an integral part of the biannual conference of the Educational Research Association of Singapore (ERAS) and consists of a program of papers, posters, roundtables, and symposia on topics of worldwide emphases and significance.
2022. San Diego, California, USA
April 21-26, 2022
Details
Cultivating Equitable Education Systems for the 21st Century
Founded in 2009, WERA celebrated its 12th anniversary at the Focal Meeting in San Diego. The WERA 2022 Focal Meeting is an integral part of the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and consists of a program of papers, posters, roundtables and symposia/sessions on topics of worldwide emphases and significance. WERA is especially excited that this Focal Meeting coincides with the AERA annual meeting with the theme: “Cultivating Equitable Education Systems for the 21st Century”.
2020/21. Santiago de Compostela, Spain
July 7-9, 2021
Details
Networking Education: Diverse Realities, Common Horizons
The WERA 2020 Focal Meeting will be held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from 1st to 3rd July 2020. The main theme of the meeting will be Networking Education: Diverse Realities, Common Horizons. The Meeting is an integral part of the 17th Spanish & 9th Ibero-American Education Conference, organized by the Spanish Pedagogical Society (SEP) and the University of Santiago de Compostela. As one of the founding members of WERA, the Spanish Pedagogical Society is pleased to host this event.
2019. Tokyo, Japan
August 5-8, 2019
Details
Future of Democracy and Education: Realizing Equity and Social Justice Worldwide
The WERA 2019 Focal Meeting took place in Tokyo, Japan from 5-8 August. It was hosted by one of WERA’s member associations, the Japanese Education Research Association (JERA). The Focal Meeting formed an integral part of the JERA 2019 Annual Conference and consisted of paper, poster and symposia submissions on topics of world-wide education research scope, with more than 1300 international delegates in attendance.
The WERA Focal Meeting consisted of 129 paper sessions, 49 symposia sessions, 16 invited symposia from our various Member Associations, Institutional Members and International Research Networks, and 101 poster presentations that were all of international scope and significance. The program also included three pre-conference Capacity Development Workshops and five keynote speakers. To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of WERA, there was also a special signing ceremony.
2017. Hong Kong, SAR
November 30-December 2, 2017
Details
Innovation, Reform and Education Change in a Contemporary World
The WERA 2017 Focal Meeting took place from 30 November – 2 December 2017 at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), Hong Kong. The WERA 2017 Focal Meeting was integral part of the Hong Kong Educational Research Association (HKERA) International Conference 2017 and consisted of a program of paper as well as symposia sessions on topics of world-wide scope.
This eight WERA Focal Meeting consisted of 58 sessions on topics of international scope and significance: 30 paper sessions, 19 symposia, 9 other (invited, plenary or governance) sessions as well as the WERA Presidential Keynote Address by Dr Felice Levine. WERA also hosted two Capacity Development Workshops, as well as several invited symposia on a variety of topics.
2016. Washington D.C., USA
April 8-12, 2016
Details
The Focal Meeting was an integral part of the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). This WERA Focal Meeting consisted of 93 sessions on topics of international scope and significance: 43 paper sessions, 44 symposia, 6 other (invited, plenary or governance) sessions as well as the WERA Presidential Keynote Address by Prof Sari Lindblom-Ylänne. WERA also hosted three Capacity Development Workshops, as well as several invited symposia on a variety of topics.
2015. Budapest, Hungary
September 8-10, 2015
Details
The Focal Meeting was an essential part of the European Educational Research Association’s (EERA) 2015 Annual Conference, hosted by Corvinus University. This sixth WERA Focal Meeting consisted of 44 sessions on topics of international scope and significance: 31 regular sessions, 23 symposia as well as a WERA Keynote Lecture by Dr Tereza Bracho Gonzalez. This year WERA also hosted its first-ever Capacity Development Workshops, as well as several invited symposia on a variety of topics.
2014. Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
November 19-21, 2014
Details
The Focal Meeting was an essential part of the Scottish Educational Research Association’s (SERA) 2014 Annual Conference, hosted by the University of Edinburgh. This fifth WERA Focal Meeting consisted of 44 sessions on topics of international scope and significance: 31 regular sessions, 12 symposia as well as a WERA-SERA Plenary Lecture by WERA Initial President (2009) Ingrid Gogolin. This year WERA also hosted its first-ever Graduate Student Meeting, as well as an International Research Network (IRN) Chairs Meeting with the WERA Executive Committee.
2013. Guanajato, Mexico
November 19-22, 2013
Details
The Focal Meeting was an integral part of the XII National Congress for Education Research, sponsored by the Consejo Mexicano de Investigación Educativa (COMIE) (Mexican Society for Educational Research) and the University of Guanajuato. This fourth WERA Focal Meeting consisted of 31 sessions on topics of international scope and significance: 22 regular sessions, 2 special invited sessions, and 7 symposia as well as a Presidential Address by WERA President Yin Cheong Cheng.
2018 WERA World Congress: Cape Town, South Africa
“Reimagining Worldwide Education Research“
The 2018 WERA World Congress took place from 3 August to 5 August 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. Around the world, education research across contexts of learning addresses strikingly similar issues and aims to be relevant to policy and practice. Whatever the topic—access and equity, language diversities, STEM learning, teaching effectiveness, policy impacts, or workforce preparation, to name but a few—common questions and concerns drive inquiry. Over the past decade, scholars and students alike have been increasingly drawn to connecting their work to research in other countries, cultures, and contexts. There is also growing interest in building cumulative knowledge and critiquing the strengths of findings and inferences through the lens of multiple perspectives enriched by studies in the global North and South. Yet, despite these transformations, single-site or within-country studies continue to dominate even when research is situated within a broader literature or when comparisons are drawn.
This first-ever WERA Congress consisted of 132 sessions on topics of international scope and significance: 67 paper sessions, 28 symposia and 2 poster sessions. 4 Keynotes as well as the opening plenary by Dr Felice Levine (WERA president) were one of the highlights of the Congress. WERA also hosted four Capacity Development Workshops, as well as 23 invited symposia on a variety of topics. Delegates at the congress came from all over the world, with delegates from 47 different countries.
See the 2018 World Congress program
See the 2018 World Congress photos
The regional partners of the congress were the University of Limpopo, University of Northern Cape, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela University, University of the Free State, University of KwaZulu Natal, University of Venda, University of Pretoria, National University of Lesotho, University of Swaziland, University of Fort Hare, UNISA (University of South Africa), Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and UMALUSI (Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training).