Invitation for Final Submissions
2026 International Design Conference (IDC) & Education Symposium

Submission Deadline:July 31st, 2026

As you prepare your final submission, please ensure that: 

• Your manuscript adheres as closely as possible to the provided template, including the prescribed section headings, formatting requirements, and defined styles.   

• Your abstract and keywords comply with the specified word-count requirements.  

• All references and in-text citations conform to APA format, including DOI links where available.  

• All identifying information previously removed for blind review has been restored. A camera-ready manuscript should be fully de-anonymized, including author names, affiliations, acknowledgments, self-citations, and related references.  

• A statement regarding IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval, exemption, or determination of non-human subjects research is included where applicable.  

• You have obtained the necessary permissions for all images, figures, and other copyrighted materials included in the manuscript. Authors will be asked to certify that they have secured permission to use all visual materials included in their paper.  

We encourage authors to update their submission to substantially address reviewer feedback. While there is no additional peer review before the conference, the education council reserves the right to request additional edits before publication.

The final camera-ready manuscript submitted by the July 31st deadline will be included in the IDC & Education Symposium's online publication. Please note that failure to submit the required revised materials by the deadline may result in your paper being excluded from publication. 

Click here to submit your final submission 

Theme: AUTHENTICITY
This year the IDC & Education Symposium at IDSA centers on the theme of AUTHENTICITY, exploring the importance of genuine expression and integrity in design academia and practice. Beyond personal style or branding, authenticity invites reflection on how identity, culture, and institutional contexts shape the ways we design, teach, research, and grow professionally.

Drawing from Simone de Beauvoir’s The Ethics of Ambiguity, authenticity can be understood as a recognition of our “situated freedom” - the idea that our creative agency is always exercised within social, historical, and material conditions. In design, this means acknowledging positionality, power, and responsibility while engaging honestly with communities, collaborators, materials, and emerging technologies.

The IDC & Education Symposium convenes educators, students, researchers, and practitioners to examine authenticity across creative practice, pedagogy, and professional development. We welcome contributions that reflect on lived experience, cultural integrity, ethical action, and honest storytelling, and that advance dialogue on how authentic engagement can strengthen the transformative impact of design.

Note: IDSA's Education Council  will determine the final presentation format for selected submissions based on content, program fit, available space, and scheduling considerations. Final assignments may include traditional paper presentations, panels, workshops, rapid-fire presentations, or other appropriate formats.

Click here to submit your final submission