AIESEP Specialist Seminar 2026 – Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy for Sustainable Development
We are delighted to invite colleagues from across the world to join the 2026 AIESEP Specialist Seminar on Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy for Sustainable Development, taking place on 2–3 December 2026 in Vitória, Brazil.
As sustainability becomes an urgent global priority, UNESCO (2021) has called for a “new social contract for education,” urging all disciplines to contribute to more just, inclusive, and sustainable futures. While often overlooked in these discussions, Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy (PESP) offers distinctive and powerful possibilities.
This Specialist Seminar creates a space to critically engage with these possibilities. It invites participants to examine, challenge, and reimagine how PESP can contribute to social, environmental, and economic sustainability across diverse contexts. Central to the event is a commitment to dialogue, particularly between Brazilian scholars and international colleagues.
The event is co-hosted by the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, the UNESCO Chair Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy for Sustainable Development, and the Association for Physical Education in Higher Education (AIESEP). It will be held in Vitória, Brazil. Brazil is a strategic entry point for promoting sustainable development values that many of us strive for across our diverse jurisdictions. Vitória offers a compelling and inspiring setting for this gathering. Situated on an island along Brazil’s southeastern coastline, the city brings together beaches, mangroves, granite hills, and vibrant urban life within a compact and accessible environment. The venue also offers very affordable accommodation and generous registration fees.
A central outcome of the seminar will be the collaborative development of an international Position Statement on Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy for Sustainable Development, to be endorsed by AIESEP. This process will bring together insights from research, teaching, and community engagement to articulate how the field can contribute meaningfully to global educational priorities, including inclusive and lifelong learning.
As part of the seminar, we invite abstracts for oral presentations. We welcome contributions from researchers, practitioners, educators, and graduate students who are engaging with, questioning, or advancing the role of physical education and sport in promoting sustainability. Abstracts (200–300 words) should clearly align with the seminar theme and presentation format. The abstract submission deadline is 21 May 2026 and further information is available here.
We look forward to welcoming you to Vitória.
More information on the Specialist Seminar: AIESEP Specialist Seminar 2026 | University of Limerick
