Call for Papers
The Eighth Biannual Gulf Comparative Education Society Symposium
Public, Private, and Philanthropic: Exploring the Impact of New Actors on
Education in the GCC
Hilton Garden Inn, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
April 7-9, 2018

The Gulf Comparative Education Society (GCES) is a not-for-profit society formed in 2008 to enable professional and academic educational discourse on the Gulf region from a comparative stance.

The Eighth Gulf Comparative Education Symposium is entitled "Public, Private, and Philanthropic: Exploring the Impact of New Actors on Education in the GCC". This year's theme draws upon the involvement of various actors in public, private, and philanthropic sectors in education that continues to grow steadily in the Gulf region. As the influence of these sectors becomes bolder and more visible, the need to explore their impact on education policy and practice within the region becomes more salient. This symposium will provide multifaceted perspectives on the role of philanthropic, public and private actors in the GCC education systems, the scope of these actors' involvement within and across educational institutions, and the dynamics of interactions with key stakeholders (e.g. policymakers, teachers, students, parents, etc.).

The 2018 GCES Symposium calls for papers that explore the following areas in the GCC context:
• • New approaches, actors and impact in the public and private education sectors
• • Philanthropy and education
• • International Organizations (IOs) and education
• • Evolving or new regulatory frameworks in education
• • Education partnerships
We welcome papers and abstracts from policymakers, NGOs, academics, and educators who wish to participate in the debate and explore policies and practices across the Gulf. We especially encourage individuals working in ministries of education - or other education- related government entities - to submit papers that focus on the needs and challenges of the regulatory and policymaking bodies.

Both quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research is welcome. All abstracts should include the following:
1. Background: Explains the purpose of the work and provides a brief description of the problem/research question addressed
2. Methods: Indicates the theoretical-methodological approach used
3. Results: Clearly presents primary findings of the study
4. Conclusion: Briefly discusses the main outcome of the study in relation to the research
question
5. Relevance to the GCC
All GCES abstracts and publications should adhere to American standards of spelling and grammar. Please note that all abstract text should be restricted to 250 words. After the submission deadline, the GCES Committee will undergo a blind review process to recommend a list of abstracts to be presented at GCES 2018 Symposium.

Abstract Submission Details

Abstracts proposals should be submitted online at: http://gces.ae/abstract-submission/.
Deadline: December 14th, 2017
Notification Date: Late January 2018

Doctoral Student & Faculty Travel Grants

The Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research will offer one (1) travel grant to a doctoral student and one (1) travel grant to a faculty presenting results from their research at the 2018 GCES Symposium. The grants will each be up to $1,000 and will be awarded on the basis of the quality of the submitted abstract. It can be used for travel, accommodation, or other related expenses.

To apply, please visit here: http://gces.ae/travel-grant/ The deadline is December 14th, 2017.

Registration Fees

Conference registration and annual membership fee: 400 AED (USD$108)*

Conference registration and annual membership fee (student): 250 AED (USD$68)*

*Presenters at the conference will receive a 50% discount.

Registration fee includes light refreshments, lunches, and access to all speaker presentations and workshops during the symposium.