Annual Conference

The 2025 Conference theme is Passion with Purpose: Extending International Education. 

Session proposals linked to the conference theme are invited. The 2025 COBIS Annual Conference will explore how we harness the passion of our sector to extend the reach, impact, and social purpose of international education – with students, schools, staff, school communities, and the wider local and global communities in which schools operate. The programme will consider themes of social responsibility, leadership, innovation and creativity, curriculum and assessment, future schools, wellbeing, collaboration, sustainability, and more. In addition to high-profile, engaging and inspiring keynote speakers, we are keen to give COBIS schools, Supporting Associates, and other delegates as many opportunities as possible to share with, and learn from, one another.

Please feel free to be creative in terms of format and structure. Presentations, panels, interactive discussion sessions, short case studies, and practical workshop sessions will all be considered. We will be looking for a balance of formats throughout the programme; interactive sessions are encouraged for breakout sessions.

We expect conference participants to include school leaders (Heads, Governors, Senior and Middle Leaders) from schools in more than 60 countries worldwide. Colleagues from Early Years, Primary and Secondary phases will be joining us, therefore the conference programme will need to include sessions that cater for a diverse range of delegates.

Sessions are expected to run for a maximum of one hour. To accommodate as many different voices and ideas as possible, some proposals will be combined into a single split session. We are also accepting proposals for shorter case studies.

Sessions should provide excellent, relevant professional development. Sessions designed as a sales pitch for a single product or service will not be considered.

Submit session proposal

Exhibitor booking will open for COBIS Supporting Associates on 3 December 2024, and for non-Supporting Associates on 7 January 2025 (subject to availability). 

The conference will take place at Convene 155 Bishopsgate, London. The closest station (London Underground and mainline railway) is Liverpool Street. If travelling from Heathrow, you can take the Elizabeth Line from Heathrow Terminal 5 or Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 to Liverpool Street. The journey requires no changes and takes approximately 45 minutes. An alternative is to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station and change to an underground service. Liverpool Street is on a number of underground lines: Central, Circle, Elizabeth, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan Line.