The FAQ below addresses some of the most common queries IAFOR receives about submissions and reviews. If you are unable to find an answer to your question, please the IAFOR Administration Office by using the form below.
Abstract Submission
How do I submit a proposal for a conference?
You may submit an abstract for an individual presentation through our online submission system. Authors are limited to two submissions per conference.
Login to My IAFOR or Create an account
Your email address will be used as your username and you will be asked to create a password. Please be aware that the information you enter when creating your account will be used for official Letters of Acceptance, Letters of Invitation, and Conference Programmes, so please ensure correct spelling of names, affiliated institutions, and so forth.
Submit to a Conference
Submit your abstract (maximum 250 words), choosing from the available presentation formats.
Receive a Confirmation
After submission, you will receive an automatic confirmation that your abstract has been received.
Initial Screening
Your submission will be reviewed by staff to ensure it conforms to accepted academic norms, and to screen out incomplete submissions.
Review
Your submission will be blind reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers.
Final Review
Your submission will receive a final review by a member of the Conference Programme Committee.
Result Notification
A result notification will be sent to you generally within four weeks of submission.
Registration
Accepted submitters will be invited to register. In order to be included in the Conference Programme, accepted submitters are required to register by the registration deadline. Upon payment of the registration fee, you will receive a confirmation email containing your official receipt.
How many papers can I propose? How many times can I present?
You may submit a maximum of two abstracts to the conference. Presenter registration only covers one presentation. If you have a second accepted abstract an additional registration is required; this is available at a discounted rate (50% off). Please contact the conference team for details.
Can I present a paper that has already been published?
Presenting research that has already been published elsewhere is not acceptable. Presenting material that has been accepted for publication in a journal or other publication, but which has not gone to print before the conference is permitted. Full details of where the material will be published should be provided on submission.
I am the first listed author on the paper, but I can’t come to the conference. Can one of my co-authors be the corresponding author?
The corresponding author doesn’t have to be the first author listed on the paper. The corresponding author carries the responsibility of submitting the abstract, uploading the final paper, attending the conference, and presenting the paper. Any author listed on the paper who accepts this responsibility can be the corresponding author.
Is it alright if I only submit an abstract and NOT a full paper?
Yes. Abstracts of registered presentations will be printed in the Conference Programme and Abstract Book. Submission to the Conference Proceedings is optional. There is no difference in fees if you choose to only submit an abstract.
Can I co-present a paper?
Yes. However, co-presented papers are given the same 25-minute time slot (including time for Q&A) as papers presented by a single individual. Each attending author must register for the conference individually.
How can I check the status of my submission?
The status of your submission may be checked via the “My Submissions” tab..
- Processing: Your submission is being reviewed in-house to see if they conform to accepted academic norms, and to screen out incomplete or time-wasting submissions.
- For Review: Your submission is being reviewed
- For Final: Your submission has been sent to the Conference Programme Committee for a final review
- On Hold: Your submission has been put on hold. This is usually because some information is missing.
- Rejected: Your submission has not been selected for the conference.
- Accepted: Your submission has been selected for the conference. A Letter of Acceptance is available for download on your account page.
- Withdrawn: Your submission has been withdrawn from the conference.
- Flagged: Your submission has been put on hold. This is usually because there is a problem with your submission.
I’m not sure if I’ll be able to attend the conference. Should I submit a proposal anyway?
Please submit proposals only if you plan to present at the conference.
If you think you may not have time to present (in-person or online), may not be able to finish a paper, or may not be able to get funding, consider waiting until next year to submit your proposal.
A lot of work goes into processing, reading, evaluating and scheduling every paper, panel and workshop, so please be respectful of the time spent on this by the Conference Programme Committee and Review Committee, as well as by the IAFOR administrative office.
If I can’t attend the conference, can someone else present my paper?
Yes – a listed co-author may present without you. If you and your co-authors are unable to attend the conference in person, please consider registering as Virtual Presenters.
How do I submit a Panel Presentation?
Panel presentations are conceived and organised by individuals who recruit speakers to present in an interactive discussion on a specific topic. There are no titles associated with the panelists’ presentations. Proposals for panel discussions should include clear descriptions of the topics to be discussed. Presenters may submit a joint paper to the Conference Proceedings.
How to Submit
1. The panel organiser should submit a “Panel Presentation” to the submission system.
2. The panel must include an introduction to the thematic content of the panel and a brief outline of what will be presented within the panel.
3. If the proposal is accepted the participants will be invited to register for the conference. The panel organiser should send the Submission Number to the other members of the panel and ask them register in a timely fashion. Upon payment of the registration fee of all participants, the panel will be scheduled in the conference program.
4. The panel organiser must ensure that all speakers are committed to participating in the panel before submitting a proposal.
Symposium Presentations
Symposium presentations are conceived and organised by individuals who recruit speakers to present papers on a specific topic. Presenters should submit their own abstracts separately before a Symposium Presentation can be proposed. Presenters may submit separate papers to the Conference Proceedings. The organiser will require a Submission Number from each accepted presenter in order to propose a Symposium Presentation.
How to Submit
1. Each presenter should individually submit an abstract to the submission system under the “Oral Presentation” category. Each presentation will be double blind-peer reviewed.
2. If all presentations are accepted, the symposium organiser should submit a “Symposium Proposal” through their account. The organiser will require a Submission Number from each accepted presenter.
3. Wait for a decision. The Symposium will be single-blind reviewed by the Conference Programme Committee.
4. If the Symposium Proposal is accepted, the presenters will be invited to register for the conference as part of a Symposium Presentation.
If the Presenter Symposium is rejected, the presenters will be invited to register for the conference as presenters and scheduled in regular sessions.
How are proposals assessed?
After your abstract is submitted online, it will undergo double-blind peer review. For further details please read our review and grading guidelines.
How will I know that I have been accepted as a presenter?
A Notification of Acceptance will be sent to you via email once your abstract has been accepted. A Letter of Acceptance can be downloaded via the “My Submissions” tab on the online submission system.
Why was my proposal rejected?
There are a number of reasons why a submission may be rejected. Your submission may:
- be considered to contain unoriginal work;
- not be relevant to the conference in question;
- have language and comprehension difficulties;
- not be considered to meet the standards required for presentation.
Are the proposals of professors or senior academics given preference over those of graduate students and independent researchers?
No. All proposals are examined on their own merits. IAFOR welcomes appropriate contributions from a variety of backgrounds and levels of scholarship.
Can I substitute a different paper after my paper has been accepted?
No. Your proposal was assessed and accepted based on its individual merits, and may not be substituted for a different paper following acceptance. If you would like to present another paper, please submit a separate abstract.
Can I change the title of my proposal after it is submitted?
Yes – for title changes, please contact the IAFOR Administration Office. Note that while your title may change, the content of your presentation must remain consistent with your accepted abstract.
How are presentations scheduled?
The conference organisers are responsible for scheduling presentations. Time and room assignments are to some extent based on equipment needs, and efforts are made not to have too many panels or workshops on similar topics competing in a single time slot or bunched together on a single day. Because of the complexity of putting the Conference Programme together and the large numbers of participants involved, it is not usually possible to accommodate requests for specific days or times.
Can I request a day and time for my presentation?
Because of the complexity of putting the Conference Programme together and the large numbers of participants involved, it is not usually possible to accommodate requests for specific presentation days or times. We ask that you reserve requests for religious reasons or other exceptional and unavoidable circumstances.
We encourage participants to attend the conference each day in order to benefit fully from the experience. While requests for specific presentation days or times are not accepted other than under exceptional circumstances, you may request one blackout day – a day on which you will not be scheduled to present at the conference. To make a schedule request, please contact the IAFOR Administration Office.
Scheduling requests will not be accepted after the registration deadline.