Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities (LCNAU) Colloquium 2026

Sub-Themes & Possible Topics

1. Language, Democracy & Social Justice

• Language education as civic participation
• Countering disinformation and propaganda through critical literacies
• Language rights, migration, citizenship and equity
• Equitable access to language education, including Asian and less commonly taught languages

2. Multilingualism & Global Challenges

• Translanguaging and translingual practices in the classroom
• Multilingual approaches to climate communication, sustainability and public health
• Identities and lived experiences of heritage and multilingual speakers
• Australia’s place in the Asia–Pacific region and the future of Asian and Pacific language education

3. AI, Digital Media & the Future of Communication

• Algorithmic bias, data ethics and linguistic justice
• Language educators’ AI literacy: training, practices, perceptions and challenges
• Teacher and learner attitudes toward AI-assisted learning and assessment
• Digital storytelling, gaming and new media in the language classroom

4. Curriculum Futures & Institutional Change

• Decolonising curriculum and assessment
• Student engagement and the affective dimensions of language learning
• Teacher professional identities and reflective classroom practices
• Sustainable program models and institutional support for Asian and less commonly taught languages

5. Intercultural Creativity & Collaboration

• Arts-based, creative and project-driven classroom practices
• Language learning as transformative experience
• Multilingual collaborative storytelling in the classroom
• Teacher–student co-creation and peer learning in intercultural classrooms

6. Indigenous Languages, Knowledges & Sovereignty

• Teaching and learning Australian Indigenous languages in higher education
• Indigenous methodologies, epistemologies and language pedagogies
• Digital archives, language documentation and technology for revitalisation
• Supporting Indigenous language sovereignty and policy reform

Formats and Submission Guidelines

We invite proposals for:

• Individual Papers. 20 minutes. Papers will present original research, practice-based insights and/or theoretically informed reflections. Proposals should include the paper title; the author’s name and affiliation; a 250–300-word abstract outlining the research question or focus, approach or methodology (if applicable), and the paper’s significance; and 3–5 keywords. Individual papers will be grouped into thematic sessions by the organising committee. A maximum of three papers is allowed per person (one as first author, two as co-author).
   
• Panel Sessions. 90 minutes, 3 speakers on shared theme + combined Q&A. Proposals should include the panel title; a brief statement of the overarching theme or focus; the names, affiliations and paper titles of the three presenters; a 100–150-word abstract for each paper; and an indication of how the papers cohere. Panel proposals should be submitted by a single organiser on behalf of all presenters.
   
• Workshops. Interactive, up to 3 hours. Proposals should clearly outline the workshop theme; its justification and relevance to the colloquium; the target audience; the activities to be conducted; and the intended outcomes of the session. Proposed workshops may take different forms and be offered as professional development for primary, secondary and/or tertiary language teachers.
   
• Roundtables. 90-minute, dialogue-focused sessions. Proposals should outline the topic or problem the roundtable will address; the names and affiliations of the proposed panellists; a brief outline of the key questions or perspectives that will guide the discussion; and what the session aims to achieve or contribute to the colloquium theme.
   
• Posters. Posters will present works-in-progress, practice-based projects or teaching innovations in a visual format and will be displayed during a 90-minute session, with presenters available to respond to questions from attendees. Each presenter will also deliver a 2-minute lightning talk to introduce their poster at the start of the session. Proposals should include the poster title; the presenter’s name and affiliation; a 150–200-word summary of the topic, approach and key insights; and 3–5 keywords. 
  
   
• Submission email:  lcnau2026@anu.edu.au
• Deadline for submissions: 4 May 2026
• Notification of acceptance: July 2026 

All proposals must be in English (to facilitate the peer-review process), although presentations in other languages are welcome.