Entry Deadline: 30 January 2026 23:59
ISE Student Development Conference - May 7 2026
We are keen on a creative range of sessions, including panels, masterclass-type sessions, interactive workshops, research sharing, and much more. We also welcome collaborative submissions with other ISE members and non-member organisations who have delivered or are working on early talent development partnership programmes and projects.
Please note that all solution provider submissions need to include employer collaboration.
Our overarching theme for the Student Development Conference is: Unlocking Potential: Practical strategies for the next generation workforce
We invite submissions on any of the themes below:
- Skills development & the AI opportunity:
- What does the future hold for the use of AI in skills development?
- How is AI changing the emerging talent jobs market, and how does that impact productivity and development programmes?
- How do we ensure new hires still think for themselves
- Responsible and ethical use of AI in the workplace (e.g. AI for self-development)
- Professional qualifications – do they still have a place in today’s skills landscape?
- Wellbeing & belonging in the workplace:
- Sustainable high performance: how can employers support their hires to avoid burnout?
- Graduate anxiety of coming into the workplace – what’s different now and whose responsibility is it really?
- Social belonging: how hard is it for new entrants in 2026? Are our workplaces truly inclusive for those from different backgrounds?
- Work readiness: transition from classroom to boardroom
- Managing business behaviours and professional presence – what does that look like in 2026?
- How can employers build effective relationships with Higher Education providers to ensure students have the skills they need to succeed?
- EDI: Inclusivity in our development programmes
- Best practice and showcasing success for enabling students with all disabilities to succeed
- How do we ensure that line managers and their teams deliver a fair and inclusive experience for all?
- Life after the development programme:
- Avoiding the cliff-edge: strategies for ensuring a smooth and positive transition to substantive roles
- How do employers best develop the leaders of the future (technical experts and business leaders)
- Talent identification beyond the emerging talent programme: identifying HIPO, future succession planning and talent development.
- Strategic ROI
- Measuring impact & ROI: what makes a successful development programme?
- Going beyond vanity: Turning data into actionable insights
- Modern LMS and the data you can extract – sharing best practices and ideas.
- Wildcard
- An opportunity to submit something relevant but completely different!
Scoring Criteria
To submit an entry, you will be asked to outline the key content (500 words max) and the key benefits and takeaways (500 words max). This should include the practical applications that can be expected from your session.
The Planning and Review Group will evaluate your submission using the following criteria.
- Content topic coverage - Show how your session connects to the conference theme and chosen topic area. Make it clear why this subject matters now and how it responds to current challenges or opportunities in the apprenticeship landscape.
- Content inspiration - Explain how your session will introduce fresh thinking. Highlight the ideas, insights or perspectives you plan to share and how they will help delegates reflect on or rethink their current approaches.
- Content originality and relevant delivery - Highlight what makes your session unique by showing a fresh perspective, innovative approach, or new insight. Use a delivery style that emphasises this originality and clearly communicates your key points, utilising the delivery style guidance:
- Panel – Use a mix of contrasting voices to offer a rounded and thought-provoking discussion
- Masterclass – Share focused expertise that gives delegates clear, practical guidance they can apply
- Interactive workshop – Use participation and hands-on exercises to help delegates practise ideas directly
- Research presentation – Present evidence and insights in a clear way that sparks new thinking and practical reflection
- Other format – Propose a delivery style that enhances your idea and creates a distinctive experience for delegates.
- Content evidence provided - Support your submission with examples, data, case studies or outcomes that strengthen your session. Show the impact of your work and why your experience positions you to deliver this topic with authority.
- Content appeals to delegates - Be clear about what delegates will learn and take away. Outline the practical tools, actions or insights they will be able to apply in their own organisations so the value of attending your session is easy to see.
Successful submissions do not guarantee a free of charge ticket for speakers to the Conference
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