Review and selection criteria

The review and selection process for the AIEC program is very competitive. As a result, only a few proposals are selected for inclusion. While we understand that it can be disappointing to miss out, we aim to provide the most comprehensive, innovative, and diverse program possible.

The committee will select highly rated proposals that contribute to a balanced and comprehensive conference program. The committee may also ask you to refine your presentation or provide an early draft to create the best possible content for the conference.

Before you develop and submit your proposal, please read and understand the review and selection criteria below and read these tips on how to prepare a proposal for AIEC and view last year's program.

Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status and advised of the outcome by the end of June 2024.

Decisions of the committee are final.

Criteria

1. Relevance to international education

The proposal appeals specifically to people working in international education, not just ‘education’. The topic is clear, relevant and addresses one of the AIEC key interest areas and appeals to one or more of the AIEC education sectors.

2. Innovation and originality

The presentation will introduce new information or ideas, not merely repeat already widely known or accessible information.

3. Applicability

The presentation will cover the latest concepts, techniques and tools. It will be illustrated by practical applications relevant to the topic, and it will showcase good practice, solution-based approaches and practical examples.

4. Analysis and insightfulness

The presentation will provide more than a description of a program or service; it will draw out insights, what was learnt, and recommend new policies and/or actions.

5. Quality of research/methodology

The data presented will come from evidence-based research.

6. Speakers’ expertise

Speakers have demonstrated experience in the key interest area and topic of the presentation.

7. Non-commercial policy adherence

The presentation will not directly promote a company product, service or other self-interest.

Proposals that stand out

To make your proposal stand out, include one or more of the following aspects:

provide an opportunity for engagement, discussion, and dialogue
provide clear learning takeaways
provide a global perspective to Australian delegates
include the voice of international students
in the case of panels, include diversity of backgrounds (e.g. people from different sectors, different organisations)
include speakers from outside our sector to give an outsider’s perspective

Common reasons for rejection

The most common reasons for rejection of a proposal include:

it is not relevant to international education
speaker profiles are not completed (e.g., speaker bio has not been provided)
not all speakers are confirmed at the time of submission (i.e., incomplete proposal)
there is not enough new information
learning outcomes for the audience are not clearly articulated
a clear objective and/or hypothesis are missing
the linkages between different parts of the abstract are incomprehensible
there is duplication or overlap of topics with another submitted proposal
the study/project/program/policy is too preliminary or insufficient to draw conclusions
the study/project/program/policy lacks originality
the abstract is poorly written