The World Assembly's theme is: Reclaiming the teaching profession: research-informed practice for equity and justice.
- ICET is an international association with consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council
- The World Assembly welcomes 148 presentations from different nations from across the globe
- The first time the World Assembly to be held in Australia since 2003.
Australian Catholic University is hosting the 66th International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) World Assembly 2026.
ICET is an international association of teacher educators, system leaders and makers dedicated to global development through education. It has consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and this is the first time it will bring the World Assembly back to Australia since 2003.
The World Assembly will bring together academics and teachers from around the world to address the global uncertainty facing teaching as a profession in times of geopolitical, environmental, and social justice and technological upheaval.
Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education and Arts at ACU, and ICET World Assembly Co-Chair, Professor Larissa McLean Davies said teachers working today are contending with previously unimagined challenges.
"Teachers are facing workload stressors, technological disruption, policy changes, and there is a need to convene an international conversation about the status and contribution of teaching as a profession," Professor McLean Davies said.
The World Assembly's theme is: Reclaiming the teaching profession: research-informed practice for equity and justice.
Professor McLean Davies said sub-themes will tackle topics that directly impact the teaching profession here in Australia such as teacher education and teacher wellbeing.
"The most significant differentiator in the classroom is the teacher, so we need to make sure our teachers feel supported and ready to do the job " she said.
The assembly will also tackle technological disruption in the classroom with topics such as generative AI and digitisation.
"Artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed society, including the work of teachers and the learning experiences of students. The World Assembly brings together international educational experts in AI, teacher education and learning to share research and inform policy," Professor McLean Davies said.
Keynote speakers across three days include; ACU's Professor Daryl Higgins, Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies, ACU's Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) Kelly Humphrey, Professor Maria Assunção Flores, Institute of Education, University of Minho, Portugal, Professor Glenn Savage, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, Professor Herb Marsh, Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, ACU, Professor Susan Edwards, Director of the Early Childhood Futures research program, ACU and Dr Suzanne Choo Head of Research, Singapore Centre for Character and Citizenship Education at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
"It is a privilege to host an incredible group of the world's education authorities," Professor McLean Davies said.
"It is important that educators have a voice in shaping the policy and the direction of our field.
"Events like the World Assembly are a forum where ideas can ignite change."
The event will be held on ACU's Melbourne campus at The Greg Craven Centre, Level 7, St Teresa of Kolkata Building, 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, over three days from July 7th.
The full conference program can be found here
