EPS Conference – The Currents of Education: Ebbs & Flows on March 6th, 2026
Throughout history, times of difficulty have created opportunities for reflection and growth. The dynamism of education offers us a vital space to engage in these reflections — to consider the movements, responsibilities, and contributions that each of us brings to society in communal ways. For communities whose shared identity has been under threat, the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu has offered a form of education that teaches the power of drawing strength from one another. Grounded in the belief that “I am because you are,” the philosophy reminds us of the essence of collective resilience when navigating challenging times. It is our shared identity that allows us to examine our sense of unity, solidarity, and commitment as scholars, educators, and advocates as we learn to ebb and flow together.
The 2026 EPS Conference encourages us to dream of what is and has been possible, and to ebb and flow together by grounding ourselves in who we are and the importance of being in community.
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2025 Conference: Education for Every Generation
2024 Conference: Social Justice and Education
March 8, 2024
Education Building, Madison, Wisconsin
2023 Conference: Social Justice and Education
2022 Conference: The Futures of Education
MARCH 25, 2022
Education Building, Madison, Wisconsin
2019 Conference: Schooling as Violence: The (IM)Possibilities of "Equity" and "Justice" in Education
MARCH 9, 2019
Education Building, Madison, Wisconsin
2018 Conference: Educational Inequalities and Educational Justice
MARCH 10, 2018
Education Building, Madison, Wisconsin
2017 Conference: Global Inequality, Global Education
2016 Conference: John Dewey's Democracy and Education at 100: Provocations and Conversations
2015 Conference: Race, Class, and Inequality in American Education: Placing the Local in Context
2014 Conference: (Im)Migration and Education
2013 Conference: A Nation at Risk? Reflections on the Past and Future of U.S. Public Education
MARCH 21-22, 2013
Education Building, Madison, Wisconsin
Segments of our 2013 Conference are now available to stream online thanks to our partnership with Wisconsin Eye. Streaming video and audio clips are available for both days of our conference.
2012 Conference: The Public Interest and the Future of Public Higher Education in the 21st Century
2011 Conference: The Obama Education Agenda: Principles, Policies, and Prospects
MARCH 8-9, 2011
Education Building, Madison, Wisconsin
A conference sponsored in part by the Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison
2010 Conference: The Global University: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives
FEBRUARY 5-6, 2010
Fluno Center, Madison, Wisconsin
A conference sponsored in part by the Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison
2009 Conference: Economic Inequality: How Much is Too Much?
FEBRUARY 5, 2009
Pyle Center, Madison, Wisconsin
A lecture sponsored by the Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
2008 Conference: Faith in Schools: Religion and Education in International and Comparative Perspective
FEBRUARY 7-8, 2008
Pyle Center, Madison, Wisconsin
A conference sponsored by the Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
2007 Conference: Education and Educational Research in an Era of Accountability: Insights and Blind Spots
FEBRUARY 7 – 8, 2007
Pyle Center, Madison, Wisconsin
A conference sponsored by the Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
2006 Conference: Affordability and Access in American Higher Education in the 21st Century
FEBRUARY 1, 2006
Pyle Center, Madison, Wisconsin
A conference co-sponsored by the Department of Educational Policy Studies and the Wisconsin Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education (WISCAPE), University of Wisconsin–Madison.
2005 Conference: The No Child Left Behind Act and the Federal Role in Education: Accountability and Equity in America's Public Schools
FEBRUARY 2 – 4, 2005
Pyle Center, Madison, Wisconsin
A conference co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology and the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, and was made possible by funding from the UW Anonymous Fund and the University Lectures Committee, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
2004 Conference: Fifty Years After Brown v. Board of Education: Race and Equal Educational Opportunity in the United States
FEBRUARY 4-6, 2004
Grainger Hall, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
A conference co-sponsored by the Departments of Educational Policy Studies and Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin–Madison.