LAUNCH DATE: 22 June 2026
Theme: "Awakening relationships which support ethical citizens in a digital world"
An online symposium making visible the relationship between theory and practice in Australian educational contexts in response to the principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach®.
Symposium Purpose / Vision:
Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE) advocates the perspective of teacher as a researcher and curriculum design as a process of educational research.
Research may be seen as an academic pursuit, undertaken by academics, or researchers at university level. In Reggio Emilia:
“Research represents one of the essential dimensions of the life of children and adults alike, a knowledge-building tension that must be recognised and valued.
Shared research between adults and children is a priority practice of everyday life, an existential and ethical approach necessary for interpreting the complexity of the world, of phenomena, of systems of co-existence, and is a powerful instrument of renewal in education.
Research made visible by means of the documentation builds learning, reformulates knowledge, underlies professional quality, and is proposed at the national and international levels as an element of pedagogical innovation” ([ICPIMRE], 2010, p. 11-12).
REAIE’s intention in hosting the 2026 Research Symposium is to highlight the significant value of research within the educational project of Reggio Emilia in the day to day lives of children and educators.
The 2026 Research Symposium is a fully online initiative. ALL sessions will be pre-recorded content.
REAIE’s vision is to ensure that each presentation clearly articulates and makes reference to the system of values and principles which give shape to the Reggio Emilia Approach®. In doing so, we seek to honour our responsibility to advocate for and promote these values within Australian contexts and give visibility to the Australian research community seeking to deepen understanding of the educational project of Reggio Emilia within an Australian context.
The Symposium topic, Awakening relationships which support ethical citizens in a digital world, invites discussion which:
- Acknowledges children as digital citizens.
- Promotes debate about ethical considerations within a digital context.
- Raises awareness of adult responsibilities in building an ethical community.
- Reflects the complexity of navigating rights within a digital world.
All papers will be put through a blind review process, and successful applications may also be asked to:
- Publish in the REAIE Challenge
- Share presentation as a future webinar.
Submissions must be received by 16 January 2026.
Successful applicants will be notified by 2nd February 2026.
References:
Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. (2010). Indications: Preschools and Infant Toddler Centres of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy: Reggio Children.
