A Field Reconnects: Reflections from CIES 2026
At its 70th anniversary gathering, the Comparative and International Education Society wrestled with some of education’s hardest questions — and found renewed purpose in community.
March 28–April 1, 2026 | San Francisco, California
CIES 2026 brought together scholars, students, and practitioners for a week of exchange, reflection, and reconnection.
| Conference | Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 2026 |
| Dates | March 28–April 1, 2026 |
| Location | San Francisco, California |
| Theme | Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World |
| Occasion | 70th anniversary of CIES |
The Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 2026 Conference brought the global education community to San Francisco for a dynamic week of ideas, collaboration, and reconnection. Celebrating the Society’s 70th anniversary, this year’s theme, “Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World,” sparked timely conversations about how education can respond to conflict, inequality, and social division across contexts.
Students and faculty in International and Comparative Education were actively engaged throughout the conference, sharing research, exchanging ideas, and connecting with scholars working across regions and disciplines. From education in emergencies to questions of equity, migration, and social cohesion, presentations highlighted the depth and relevance of the field in addressing some of today’s most urgent global challenges.
Research in conversation
Across panels and informal discussions, participants returned to foundational questions about the role of education in fractured societies. The conference created space not only for presenting research, but also for testing ideas, finding intellectual community, and situating individual projects within broader debates shaping the field.
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“More than a conference, CIES continues to be a space where ideas evolve into collaborations and professional connections grow into lasting partnerships.” |
That spirit was visible throughout the week as participants moved between formal sessions and informal conversations, carrying ideas from one room into the next and deepening connections across institutions and regions.
A memorable presidential address
One of the most memorable moments of the week was the Presidential Address by Dr. Halla Holmarsdottir, “Reimagining Care and Equity in Education.” Her remarks encouraged participants to think beyond metrics and rankings and instead consider the central role of relationships, responsibility, and care in shaping education systems and research.
The address resonated deeply with conversations taking place throughout the conference, reinforcing the view that education cannot be separated from the ethical and social conditions in which it unfolds.
Dr. Halla Holmarsdottir delivers the CIES 2026 Presidential Address on care, equity, and the future of educational research.
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Her remarks invited the field to look beyond metrics and rankings and to take seriously the role of care, responsibility, and relationships in education. |
Reconnection and community
The Teachers College institutional reception was a standout highlight, bringing together International and Comparative Education students, alumni, and faculty for an evening filled with conversation, laughter, and meaningful reconnections. The room was buzzing as colleagues shared updates on new research projects, career milestones, and collaborations unfolding across the world.
These moments captured what makes the field so special: a strong sense of community grounded in shared commitments to global engagement, critical scholarship, and mutual learning.
The Teachers College reception created space for conversation, reconnection, and new collaborations among students, faculty, and alumni.
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These moments captured what makes the field distinctive: a strong sense of community grounded in shared commitments to global engagement and mutual learning. |
Looking ahead
As participants left San Francisco, they carried forward not only new ideas, but also a renewed sense of collective purpose. CIES 2026 served as a reminder that scholarly exchange does not happen in isolation. It is sustained through relationships, collaboration, and the willingness to remain in conversation across difference.
In that sense, the conference was more than a milestone anniversary. It was a reminder of why this field continues to matter.
