Media & Learning 2026 will once again bring together educators, researchers, learning designers, media producers and policymakers passionate about advancing the role of media in higher education.
The next Media & Learning conference will take place on 17–18 June 2026 in Leuven, hosted jointly with KU Leuven’s Learning Lab, under the banner Co-creating the Future of Learning. This theme reflects our shared commitment to shaping the future of education together — making thoughtful, creative and responsible choices about how media is used in teaching and research. Learning today is not a one-way process; it’s collaborative, interactive, and generative.
At the heart of learning are people and the stories they create together. While video remains a central medium, next year’s event will also spotlight the unique strengths of audio; from podcasts and audio essays to music and field recordings — alongside the fast-evolving possibilities of AI. These modalities connect directly to the conference’s key themes, including co-creating narratives across story, sound, and simulation; extending human agency with AI companions; and rethinking assessment through collaborative multimedia artefacts. Video, audio, and AI can all foster presence, intimacy, creativity, and meaningful feedback loops — but always as tools in service of co-creation and human connection.
We also invite discussions on inclusive and global knowledge exchange, the role of policy and governance in shaping media ecosystems, and how teachers, learners, designers and AV teams can build sustainable, future-ready practices.
Call for Contributions
For the MLA 2026 Conference, we have identified 14 themes that invite contributions from a wide range of perspectives — whether you are a policy maker, media producer, learning designer, teacher, innovator or beyond.
Explore this year’s theme at the MLA 2026 Conference.
Proposals may take the form of workshops, presentations, panel discussions, Pecha Kucha sessions, or demonstrations.
Join us in co-creating the future of learning by sharing how media can enrich education — from amplifying learner voices and reducing cognitive overload to enabling playful design and reimagining educational spaces together.
Submit your proposal here:
Submission deadline is 31 January 2026.
