DK: Call for abstracts – the Nordic conference on deafblindness 2026

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: COURSES AND WORLD CAFÉ SESSIONS

The Nordic Conference on Deafblindness is not only a meeting point — it is a vibrant platform for knowledge sharing and co-creation. The conference aims to foster knowledge sharing, collaborative innovation, and competency development within the community of professionals, researchers, and people that live with deafblindness. For this conference the Scientific Committee invite you to be part of shaping that platform by contributing with a course or a World Café session. 

On Wednesday, September 16, from 08:30 to 12:30, participants will have the opportunity to join either a course or a World Café, providing valuable spaces for learning, reflection, and exchange.

Courses – Deepening Expertise 

Courses are focused on learning experiences aimed at developing competencies and providing participants with up-to-date, evidence-informed and/or practice-based knowledge in a specific area. We encourage proposals that are rooted in research and knowledge-based practice. 

The courses should be interactive and need to provide sufficient opportunities for participants to contribute by bringing their own experiences, engaging in discussions, and sharing perspectives. The course also needs to provide time for the participants to formulate a small action to bring back and integrate in practice, research or daily life. Maybe you are part of a Nordic network, a professional, a researcher with expertise in deafblindness or have lived experiences with deafblindness, we welcome your proposal. 

The proposal should contain:  

• Presentation of the lecture 
• The theme and content 
• Purpose of the course 
• Learning outcomes 
• Reflecting questions on the participants' own experiences 
• Number of min. and max. participants 

After the course the participants get a certificate of participation on behalf of the SC and NVC and provided by NVC.

World Café – Co-creating Knowledge 

The World Café format offers a more informal, interactive space for dialogue and knowledge co-creation. If your topic instigates reflection, multiple perspectives, and collective insight, this may be the perfect setting for you. Maybe you are part of a Nordic network, a professional, a researcher with expertise in deafblindness or have lived experiences with deafblindness, we welcome your proposal.

A World Café is a method for facilitating dialogue, idea exchange, and collaboration in groups. It's an informal yet structured approach where participants move between different tables (like in a café), and the conversations are guided by questions around a specific topic. The World Café can host between 20 – 100 participants.  

Core elements of a World Café:

1. Café-style atmosphere: The room is set up to be cozy and relaxed – small tables, perhaps tablecloths, snacks, coffee/tea – to create a safe space for open dialogue. 
2. Rounds of conversation: Participants are divided into smaller groups (typically 4–6 people per table) and discuss a shared question for 15–30 minutes. 
3. Rotation: After each round, participants move to a new table, and one person stays behind as the "host" to share insights from the previous conversation with the new group. 
4. Harvesting: In the end, all insights from the tables are brought together in a plenary session –the host at each table present the insights from their table and the world café will be facilitated by the organizers of the world café to summarizing and documenting the key points.

What is the purpose?
The purpose of a World Café is to: 

Foster creative thinking and collective wisdom 

Build engagement and shared understanding 

Encourage relationships and collaboration across groups 

The SC urge the organizers to write a summary/statement capturing the main outcomes of the discussions, as this forms an essential part of the knowledge creation process.

The proposal should contain:  

• Presentation of the facilitator/organizer 
• The theme and content 
• Purpose of the World Café  
• Learning outcomes  
• Reflections on how the outcomes will be used afterwards

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: WORKSHOPS, SHORT TALKS AND POSTERS

The Scientific Committee invites individuals to submit abstracts for presentations at The Nordic conference on Deafblindness, focusing on co-creating beyond boundaries in the field of deafblindness. The conference aims to foster knowledge sharing, collaborative innovation, and competency development within the community of professionals, researchers, and individuals with deafblindness. We encourage submissions that actively engage participants in the process of co-creation, involving multiple perspectives and reflecting both research and practice-based insights as well as lived experience. 

Purpose of presentations: 

• To provide participants with knowledge and practical insights into current and emerging issues in the field. 
• To highlight innovative practices or program evaluations that contribute to the development of competencies in the field. 
• To showcase lived experiences that reflect unfulfilled needs in research, service provision, education, or intervention, offering opportunities for reflection and dialogue. 
• To create an interactive platform for exchange of information, where different perspectives can be shared, and collective knowledge is co-created. 

The presentations need to address at least one of the points presented above.

Types of presentations: 
The conference will offer a variety of presentation formats designed to encourage active engagement and collaboration: 

1. Workshops: 25 minutes for presentation and 20 minutes for shared reflections: These sessions are designed as creative, interactive learning experiences that encourage participants to actively contribute, reflect on their experiences, and engage in meaningful discussions. Workshops should focus on knowledge co-creation and offer clear learning outcomes that help participants deepen their knowledge and competence in specific areas related to deafblindness. Workshops from both praxis and lived experiences as well as research are very welcome.  
2. Short Talks: 12 minutes for presentation and 3 minutes for questions and comments: These presentations aim to share research findings, or new practices in a concise, impactful format. Each short talk is an opportunity to share scientific insights and exchange knowledge on key topics within the field.  
3. Poster Presentations: Posters offer a platform for showcasing research, innovative projects, or new publications. These sessions provide a platform for discussion and knowledge exchange, allowing presenters and participants to engage in smaller one-on-one conversations.

Abstract requirements: (Link to PDF) 

• Abstract are accepted in written English only. 
• Abstracts must be no longer than 350 words. 
• Proposals that encourage co-creation and multiple perspectives in the presentation format will be prioritized.  
• Indicate the type of presentation you are proposing (workshop, short talk, or poster). You may also indicate if you are open to considering an alternative presentation type if your preferred option cannot be accommodated. 
• All abstracts must be submitted via the online form. Abstracts submitted by email will not be accepted.

 Authorship and Collaboration: 

• The submission must be made by one contact person on behalf of their co-presenters or team. 
• Please identify all collaborators and provide at least one affiliation for each author/presenter (e.g., “person with lived experience,” “academic institution,” “member of the public”). 
• If applicable include information about funding sources, ethics approval, and other relevant collaborators.

 Application Process: 

1. Submit your abstract online by no later than Day, Month, Year. 
2. The Scientific Committee will review all submissions and select those of most interest to participants, aiming for a diverse and balanced program. Notifications will be sent by Day, Month, Year.

 Registration: 

• All presenters must register for the conference and pay the appropriate registration fee. Abstracts for which the presenter has not registered and paid upon acceptance will not appear in the program.

 Accessibility: 

• Presentations must be accessible to participants with visual and/or hearing impairments. Detailed guidelines will be provided by organizers for accepted presentations.

 We look forward to your submissions and to a diverse, impactful conference that pushes the boundaries of knowledge and co-creation in the field of deafblindness.