Call for Proposals (Registration is closed)

The Inclusive Leadership Symposium (ILS) will take place in person on February 1st - 2nd, 2023, at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) in Okinawa, Japan. This year’s theme, Inclusive Leadership, highlights the critical roles that all forms of leadership have in creating conditions and climates that enhance adaptability, empowerment and collaboration, and a strong sense of community and belonging. The ILS brings together faculty, students, researchers, staff, and administrative leaders across Japan and other countries to engage in discussions, inquiry, and strategic thinking to explore how to: 

  • Develop institutional cultures where every individual can thrive and their contributions are valued; 
  • Instill ownership amongst leaders at all levels to actively foster inclusion and equity; and 
  • Empower those who identify as people from minoritized and underrepresented backgrounds to realize their full leadership potential. 

To see the list and bios of invited speakers/panelists please check HERE. 

The ILS organizing committee invites proposals for sessions that will comprise the final program. All symposium participants are eligible to submit a proposal. Proposals will be reviewed by members of the organizing committee with decisions announced in mid-December. More details are described in the following sections. 

DEADLINE: [December 12th, 23:59, JST] 

Session types

Participants can propose to organize and host the following categories of sessions. In addition to, or in lieu of the proposal categories below, participants can submit a poster presentation to the scheduled symposium poster session on a topic related to the symposium theme. 

The person that submits will be our main point of contact for the presentation and will be responsible for notifying other members of their proposal (if the proposal has multiple authors). All sessions will be conducted in English. Our goal is to have significant diversity among our presenters and in our session topics. 

For all sessions, we ask that presenters and facilitators promote a respectful environment for the discussion of ideas and perspectives. 

Panel discussions 

Panel discussion themes should be related to inclusive leadership. A panel should comprise no more than 5 panelists and last up to 60 minutes in total. Panel discussions can include case studies to present the success of a project/team, achievements, and how barriers were overcome. 

Professional development sessions 

These sessions should be organized in a workshop-like manner to teach strategies and/or skills related to inclusive leadership. Professional development sessions should be designed to last 45 to 60 minutes. 

Birds-of-a-Feather/Shared Interests Sessions 

These sessions are informal gatherings of people interested in a particular topic. They can feature a presentation, roundtable, or a demonstration followed by discussion, announcements, sharing of strategies, and the opportunity to network and meet new colleagues. 

Poster Submission

Participants are welcome to submit a poster for the symposium poster session. Please scroll down to the Proposal Submissions instructions below to submit a poster.

Components of the proposal

Contact information for main presenter and all co-­presenters (all presenters and co-presenters should be registered as participants in the event) 

  • Session title (no more than 10 words)  
  • Session abstract (no more than 100 words)  
  • Session format (not to exceed 60 minutes) 
  • Designation of intended audience 
  • Session description (no more than 300 words): 
    • Brief description of the session topic. 
    • State expected outcomes for session participants.  
    • Outline the session activities and plan for interaction.  
    • Meaningfully connect your proposal to the symposium theme. 

Review process

If you need any help organizing a session or developing ideas, please reach out to us at C-Hub@oist.jp. All submitted proposals will be reviewed by members of the ILS organizing committee for their format adequacy, clarity of purpose, pertinence, and efforts to promote diversity. 

Proposal Submissions

Application Form for Session Proposal

Application Form to submit a Poster Presentation  

 

DEADLINE: [December 12th, 23:59, JST] 

Questions?

We are always happy to support the development of proposals and provide feedback. Please contact C-Hub@oist.jp with questions.