Call for Abstract Submissions
SAAHE 2026
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Theme: Unravelling the Future of Health Professions Education
Conference Dates: 30 June – 3 July 2026
Venue: Protea Marriot Hotel TechnoPark, Stellenbosch
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The SAAHE 2026 Conference Organising Committee invites you to submit abstracts that engage with our central theme: Unravelling the Future of Health Professions Education.
As health professions educators, researchers, clinicians, and students, we are increasingly called upon to navigate complexity, embrace uncertainty, and co-create educational futures that are equitable, relevant, and transformative. This year’s theme invites critical reflection and bold imagining of what lies ahead, and we weave new narratives, unpick (outdated) assumptions, and thread together diverse ways of knowing, doing, and being.
Abstract Categories:
You are invited to submit your work under the following categories:
- Oral presentations
- e-Posters
- In-conference workshops
- Pre-conference workshops
- Panel discussions
- Campfire story presentations
- Symposia
- PechaKucha
- SAAHE Unleashed
Submissions from undergraduate and postgraduate students are especially encouraged and will be considered for dedicated student sessions.
Presentations
Your submission should speak to at least one of the following subthemes:
- Empathy-Driven Innovation and Practice: Reclaiming empathy in clinical and educational spaces
- Interprofessional and Collaborative Practice: Strengthening teamwork across disciplines, contexts, and sectors
- Global and Local Trends Shaping HPE: Navigating digital, policy, demographic, and societal shifts
- Future-Ready Graduates and Learning Environments: Designing curriculum and pedagogy for adaptability, agency, and change
- Equity, Access, and Social Accountability: Advancing justice, inclusion, and responsiveness in education and healthcare
- Navigating the Next Era of HPE: Exploring bold ideas, foresight thinking, and radical possibilities
All abstracts must follow the structured format and submission criteria outlined in the full SAAHE 2026 Submission Guidelines – closing date extended.
Important Deadlines
Submission Type | Deadline |
Pre-conference Workshops, Panel Discussions & Symposia | 21 February 2026 |
Oral, e-Poster, In-conference Workshops, Campfire Stories, PechaKucha™, SAAHE Unleashed | 21 February 2026 |
Notification of Acceptance | 31 March 2026 |
Presenter Registration Deadline | 15 May 2026 |
Early Bird Registration | 15 April 2026 |
Late Registration | 15 May 2026 |
(Unregistered presenters will be excluded from the final programme and abstract book)
Submission Guidelines
All abstracts must follow the structured format and submission criteria outlined in the full SAAHE 2026 Submission Guidelines – closing date extended.
Format | Overview |
Oral Presentation | A 10–12 minute structured academic presentation (plus Q&A) offering research, innovation, or educational evaluation aligned to the theme. Abstracts must be structured (Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion). |
e-Poster | A visually engaging poster shared digitally, with in-person discussion. Abstracts follow the same structured format as oral presentations. Posters presenters will be invited to give a 3-minute pitch. |
Pre-Conference Workshop | A longer, interactive session (typically 90–180 minutes) designed to build skills or co-create knowledge. Proposals must include objectives, session structure, methodology, participant engagement, and evaluation strategy. |
In-Conference Workshop | A shorter, practical session (60-90 minutes) embedded in the main programme. Focused on active learning and peer exchange. Same submission structure as pre-conference workshops, adapted for shorter duration. |
Panel Discussion | A 60–90 minute facilitated dialogue featuring 3–5 speakers offering diverse perspectives on a key issue in health professions education. Proposals should describe the topic, panel composition, and format for audience engagement. |
Campfire Story | A 10-minute reflective conversation focused on lived experience, teaching moments, or practice-based insights. Abstracts should be narrative in nature and highlight relevance to the conference theme. This format will not include any PowerPoint slides. |
Symposia | A 60–90 minute themed sessions that bring together multiple presenters to engage in a focused, in-depth discussion or debate on a critical topic related to health professions education. These sessions are ideal for sharing diverse perspectives, interdisciplinary dialogue, or emerging research findings across institutions. |
PechaKucha™ | A rapid-fire 6:40-minute presentation format using 20 auto-advancing slides (20 seconds each). Ideal for punchy storytelling or provocative ideas. Abstracts should summarise the insight, relevance, and core message. |
SAAHE Unleashed | A creative, boundary-breaking format (up to 10 minutes) for performance, poetry, visual storytelling, arts-based or expressive work. Designed to provoke, inspire, or challenge. Abstracts must describe the concept, rationale, and audience experience, with optional media links. |
Let’s co-create the future of HPE!!!
Whether you are presenting groundbreaking research, sharing stories of transformation, or sparking provocative dialogue, we welcome your contribution to the fabric of this vibrant community. Submit your abstract and be part of the conversation that unravels the future.
For enquiries, contact: Simone Titus-Dawson: titusdawsons@sun.ac.za (Scientific Committee Chair)
Submission portal: Submit your abstract