Call for proposals: 2026 Open Education Week Virtual Summit

Date: 3-4 March, 2026

1. Theme: Open Education, Open Possibilities

Open Education is reshaping the global learning landscape as it engenders expanded access to open educational resources, and practices. It opens new pathways for achieving inclusive, quality, and equitable education especially for Africa which has the world’s youngest population, with over 60% under 25 and an average median age of 19; an age bracket who needs education to achieve their potential and grow into the workforce for the future. Inadequate educational resources and equity gaps, among other factors, significantly hinder access to education for these young people and others who need to continue learning for professional development and acquisition of modern skills. Open education which opens up possibilities for learning, needs to be vigorously explored for transforming Africa into a global powerhouse of the future as we continue to co-create the Africa We Want.

The African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) strongly believes that African libraries play significant roles in bridging digital and resource gaps between the haves and have-nots. AfLIA also recognizes that library professionals’ expertise in technology, copyright, and licensing, make them natural allies with educators in growing Open Education praxis on the continent. The 2026 Open Education virtual summit by AfLIA and OER Africa therefore seeks to bring African librarians, educators, researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders together to share research, case studies, emerging models, and visionary ideas that showcase how Open Education opens the door of possibilities for transformative, quality, inclusive, and equitable education that can positively influence Africa.

2. Six Presentation tracks

The virtual summit will address the theme Open Education, Open Possibilities under these six tracks:

a. Libraries as catalysts of Open Education

b. Policy, governance, and institutional strategies for Openness

c. Local knowledge, culture, and community-centered Openness

d. Multistakeholder initiatives, partnerships, and sustainability of Open Education initiatives

e. Open Education for skills development and Lifelong Learning

f. Artificial Intelligence and Open Education

3. The 2026 Open Education Week Virtual Summit is for:

LIS practitioners in all library types
LIS educators
LIS policymakers
Educationists
Instructional designers
Stakeholders working in the Open Education field
Organizations and professionals working in partnership with African libraries

4. Expected Outcomes

The Virtual Summit seeks to find answers to the question of how African library professionals with strategic stakeholders, can play definitive roles in the entrenchment of Open Education practices within the African continent for quality, equitable and inclusive education and lifelong learning. It is expected that by the end of the Virtual Summit, participants will:

Gain a better understanding of Open Education and how libraries can drive library-led contextualized OER development, training, and advocacy

Expand their knowledge of multi-stakeholder collaborations and policy frameworks for institutional adoption of OERs

Be conversant with how libraries can leverage on Open Education Practices (OEP) to support adult learners and non-traditional student populations as well as flexible learning pathways that would enhance workforce development, and digital skills

Realize how libraries can collaborate with their user communities to use Open Education as a tool for community empowerment and cultural preservation.

Learn how to ethically and responsibly use AI for Open Education

Be part of a network for growing Open Education Practices (OEP) in Africa.

5. Important Dates (Deadlines)

Proposal and Presentation Slides

Submission of Proposals – Monday, 19^thJanuary, 2026
Notification of Acceptance/Rejection – Saturday, 24^th January, 2026
Submission of full presentation slides – Friday, 20^th February, 2025

Summit Dates

Tuesday March 3 and Wednesday March 4 2026

6. Registration and fees

No fees will be charged for the virtual summit. However, all intending presenters and participants are expected to register here.

CLICK TO REGISTER

7. Structure

Presenters are required to submit only proposals (that are longer than normal abstracts) and if they are accepted, will be required to submit ONLY their full presentation slides on or before 20^th February, 2026 by 23.59 GMT.
Proposals submitted after Monday, 19^th January, 2026 would not be considered.
Failure to submit presentation slides within the stipulated period will be regarded as non-interest in presenting at the virtual summit. The speaking slot would be filled from the waiting list.
The virtual summit will be held for two days with two sessions daily.

8. Guidelines for Submission of Proposal and Presentation Slides

Kindly note the following guidelines to ensure that quality presentations are made at the 2026 Open Education Week Virtual Summit.

Submission Guidelines
Plagiarism Check

Acknowledgement of other people’s intellectual work is a cardinal rule of research. It is a criminal offence to take credit for another person’s work. AfLIA expects all library professionals and presenters to duly acknowledge all sources quoted and images used in their presentations. Plagiarized works will not be accepted and may incur penalties. Ethical use of AI is advised. Authors are encouraged to declare and duly reference AI generated content.

9. Proposals

Proposals must fall within the ambit of the theme and the stipulated six (4) tracks and could be written in English, French or Portuguese.

Identify the area(s) of interest in the theme and six (6) tracks. Develop a clear understanding of the chosen area(s). Think and search coherently with the appropriate keywords for knowledge and information on the area(s).
The proposal should be a minimum of 900 words and must not exceed 1200 words.
The proposal can make references to other works. The citations of references (APA) within a proposal should be added to the end under a References section and would not count in the 900-2000-word limit of the proposal.
The proposal should not have been part of a presentation in any other conference or previously published online or offline, or under consideration for acceptance as a presentation or publication in any other place.
It is recommended for the proposal to have the following components: objectives/scope; methods and procedures/process of investigation/research, where applicable; results; observations; conclusions; and recommendations.
The inclusion of at least four keywords is mandatory.
Case studies are particularly welcome.

10. Technical details

Proposals should be in Word format. Papers in other formats will be returned to the author.
Times New Roman font, 12pt is the standard
Maintain 1.5 line spacing within paragraphs and 2.0 spacing in between paragraphs.
Please do not insert headers or footers in your proposals.

11. Presentation slides

PowerPoint or Google Slides should have key talking points with appropriate visuals, clips and video and should not be overly crowded with words.
Each presentation is expected to have 12 -15 slides.
If you use pictures or images in your slides, please ensure there is proper acknowledgement of the source in small print underneath the image or picture.

12. Submission of proposals

Please email your proposal(s) and all other enquiries to programofficer@aflia.net and copy secretariat@aflia.net

13. Changes, Cancellations and Withdrawals

AfLIA views the submission of proposals for presentations as a commitment to register and join others for the present at the 2025 Open Education Week Virtual Summit. Nevertheless, if a presentation is accepted and there are situations that prevent the author(s) from submitting the presentation slides, it is incumbent on such person(s) to communicate such in writing to the AfLIA Secretariat: secretariat@aflia.net; with a copy to programofficer@aflia.net at least by 20^th February, 2026