Borders and Fluidity, Possibilities and Challenges

You find all information regarding the Pre-conference here

The pre-conference starts with a presentation that puts a meta-subject didactic perspective on the first language subject. The PhD student brings and presents a piece of work in process to discuss and submits a detailed text (3–5 pages, excluding references). The text can focus on self-selected aspects of the PhD project (theory, methodology, specific results, or other issues). In the text, please state a reading guide to specify which aspects you want feedback on. The texts can be written in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English.

PhD students are divided into groups where they present their examples, read and give feedback on the group's work. The PhD researchers also receive feedback from senior researchers.

The texts must be submitted on here month before the pre-conference, no later than 1 March 2027. The texts are distributed to the groups two weeks before the conference.

Information about rooms and final program will be announced later.

Registration for the pre-conference will open together with the conference registration:

• 1 November 2026 (early bird registration)
• 1 January 2027 (ordinary registration)

When registering, participants are asked to provide a working title for their presentation.

Anna-Elisabeth Holm

PhD. Assistant Professor in Faroese as a Second Language at the Faculty of Faroese Language and Literature at the University of the Faroe Islands.

Research interests: Second language acquisition, multilingual education, and language education for newcomers to the Faroe Islands. The field of sociolinguistics, focusing in particular on language in society, language learning, language and social justice, multilingual pedagogies, multilingualism in peripheral regions, language policy and practice

Short Bio: With a background in language studies and as a language teacher, Elisabeth has a particular interest in second language acquisition, multilingual education, and language education for newcomers to the Faroe Islands. Her main research interests are within the field of sociolinguistics, focusing in particular on language in society, language learning, language and social justice, multilingual pedagogies, multilingualism in peripheral regions, language policy and practice. Her PhD thesis focused on adult migrant language learning. In particular, it focused on the lived experiences of migrants of non-Nordic origin in becoming speakers of Faroese. It also focused on the specific challenges encountered during the course of learning Faroese and the consequences with respect to labour market access and participation. Parts of this work was later published by Routledge in a volume entitled Migration, Adult Language Learning and Multilingualism – Critical Sociolinguistics Research with New Speakers of Faroese. This book won the BAAL Book Prize in 2025.

• Research page

Line Krogager Andersen

Ph.D. Researcher, Aarhus University Department of Communication and Culture.

Research interests: Language education, language awareness, plurilingualism, action research, complex dynamic systems

Short bio: Starting off with a degree in linguistics and an MA in conference interpreting, Line has immersed herself in the study of language(s) in many different ways throughout her academic and professional career. She initially worked for the EU institutions as a conference interpreter before returning to academia to do a phD on plurilingual approaches and language awareness in the primary school classroom. Her work focuses on all language subjects including L1 Danish which she sees as an essential venue for fostering language awareness for all. She works as an action researcher, drawing on complex dynamic systems theory to conceptualise the complexities of language education in primary and lower secondary school classrooms. Her current focus is on developing an approach for sustainable language education as a response to the multiple crises that language education faces in the Danish context. She is the PI of the research project Sustainable Language Education, funded by the Danish Research Council.

• Research page

Brynhildur Þórarinsdóttir

Writer and Associate Professor of Icelandic, University of Akureyri, Faculty of Education.

Research interests: Children literature, literacy upbringing and literacy habits of children and youth.

Short bio: Brynhildur has a degree in Icelandic literature and language. She works as an author and lecturer at the University of Akureyri. Her research has focused, among other things, on the reading habits of children and adolescents, Icelandic as a school subject and language of instruction, and the use of children's books in preschools. She has written about literacy from a social perspective, the building of reading communities in schools, and literature as a way to connect and belong. Brynhildur has retold Icelandic medieval literature for young readers and has published numerous works of fiction for children and adolescents, as well as textbooks for primary schools and teaching guides for teachers. She teaches prospective teachers how to use literature in the classroom and has led the Children's Book Centre, which works to promote reading interest among children and adolescents in Iceland.

• Research page

Thursday, 8 april

The day begins with a pre-conference for PhD students. The conference officially opens at 14:30, and the programme for the day concludes with music, drinks and networking.

Pre-conference for PhD students

08.30 – 09.00 | Registration/coffee 

09.00 – 09.30 | Introductory comments

09.30 – 10.30 | Workshop

10.30 – 10.45 | Coffee

10.45 – 12.15 | Workshop

12.15 – 13.00 | Lunch for PhD students

13.00 – 14.00 | Discussion and summary

Borders and Fluidity, Possibilities and Challenges

14.30              | Conference opening

14.45 – 15.30 | Keynote presentation -  Brynhildur Þórarinsdóttir

15.30 – 15.45 | Coffee

15.45 – 17.15  | Parallel sessions

 17.30 – 18.30 | Music and refreshements

Friday, 9 april

The day begins with coffee at 08:30 and concludes with an exciting surprise excursion.

08.30 – 09.00 | Coffee

09.00 – 09.50 | Keynote presentation - Line Krogager Andersen

10.00 – 11.30 | Parallel sessions – workshop

11.30 – 12.30 | Lunch

12.30 – 13.15 | Keynote presentation - Anna-Elisabeth Holm

13.20 – 14.50 | Parallel sessions – workshop

15.50 – 15.15 | Coffee

15.15 – 16.15 | Parallel sessions

16.30 – 22.00 | Surprise trip

Saturday, 10 april

The day begins with coffee at 08:30 and concludes with the closing of the conference at 15.30

08.30 – 09.00 | Coffee

09.00 – 09.30 | Presentation from TALÍS (Talking and learning Icelandic in schools)

09.35 – 11.05 | Parallel sessions

11.10 – 12.10 | Parallel sessions

12.10 – 13.10 | Lunch

13.15 – 14.40 | Parallel sessions

14.45 – 15.00 | Presentation from NNFF

15.00 - 15.30 | Conference ends

Important Dates

• Abstract submission opens: 1 September 2026
• Submission deadline: 30 October 2026
• Notification of acceptance: 8 January 2027

Guidelines for Paper Presentations

Abstracts (200–300 words, excluding references) should include:

• Aims
• Research questions
• Theoretical approach
• Methods
• (Preliminary) results

Please also include up to five keywords.

Presentation format: 20 minutes presentation + 10 minutes discussion.

Guidelines for Symposia

When proposing a symposium, please submit:

1. A symposium overview abstract (200–300 words, excluding references)
   1. Summary of the overall topic or theme
   2. Name and affiliation of the chair
   3. Name(s) and affiliation(s) of possible discussant(s)
2. An abstract for each individual presentation (200–300 words, excluding references), including:
   1. Aims
   2. Research questions
   3. Theoretical approach
   4. Methods
   5. (Preliminary) results
   6. Name and affiliation of each presenter

A symposium lasts 90 minutes. Organisers are free to decide the number, length, and order of presentations.

All symposium materials (overview abstract + individual abstracts) should be compiled and uploaded as one single document.