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WLCONF26–28 March 2027 · ParisSubmit Abstract

About WLCONF — An International Women's Empowerment Conference

The International Conference on Women in Leadership (WLCONF) takes place in Paris, France, on 26–28 March 2027. It is an academic women's empowerment conference that brings together researchers, educators, practitioners and policymakers who study, support or practise leadership, to share evidence on how women reach, exercise and sustain leadership across society.

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Dates
26–28 March 2027
City
Paris, France
Format
In person, with live virtual presentations
Language
English

Why this conference exists

The conference exists because the question is no longer whether women's leadership matters, but how lasting change happens. Organisations, governments and universities have introduced targets, development programmes and flexible working policies, and each deserves careful evaluation. At the same time, research on bias, caregiving, pay, political representation and intersectional disadvantage continues to reveal where progress stalls and why. Bringing those findings into one room allows researchers and practitioners to test ideas against each other's experience.

As a women's leadership and empowerment conference, WLCONF gives equal weight to both parts of that description: leadership as a practice exercised within institutions, and empowerment as the wider social, economic and political conditions that make that leadership possible. Researchers at every career stage are welcome at this women in leadership conference, including doctoral candidates presenting their first work.

Vision

A world in which leadership opportunities are shaped by ability and contribution, not by gender.

Mission

To connect rigorous research on women and leadership with the people and institutions able to act on it.

Who Should Attend

  • Researchers and academics in management, political science, sociology, economics, education, law, public health and gender studies
  • Educators and trainers who design or deliver leadership development
  • Doctoral candidates and early-career researchers
  • Policymakers and public-sector leaders working on equality and representation
  • Professionals in human resources, diversity and inclusion, and organisational development
  • Leaders from business, non-profit and community organisations
Anyone interested in attending as a listener without presentingRegister as a Listener

Academic Scope of the Conference

The conference covers women's leadership at every level, from individual careers to national policy. Contributions may be empirical, theoretical, methodological or practice-based, and comparative or cross-national studies are especially welcome. Work that examines how gender intersects with ethnicity, class, disability, age or migration is part of the core scope rather than a specialist addition. Research does not need to present only positive results: studies showing that an intervention did not work are equally valuable. The scope also includes the methods used to study leadership, from large-scale surveys and administrative data to interviews, case studies and participatory research, as well as work that translates findings into training, policy or organisational change.

  • Women, Gender, and Leadership
  • Leadership Development and Career Advancement
  • Organizations, Workplaces, and Gender Equality
  • Work, Care, and Career Sustainability
  • Business, Executive Leadership, and Governance
  • Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Economic Leadership
  • Political, Public, and Institutional Leadership
  • Community, Civil Society, and Social Change
  • Education, Academia, and Research Leadership
  • STEM, Technology, and Professional Leadership
  • Intersectionality, Identity, and Culture
  • Global and Cross-Cultural Leadership
  • Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Leadership
  • Sustainability, Crisis, and Global Challenges
  • Policy, Interventions, and Leadership Outcomes

Quality and Research Ethics

Every submission is assessed through double-blind peer review, so reviewers and authors do not know each other's identities. Reviewers judge relevance to the conference scope, originality, clarity of aims and methods, and the quality of the argument or evidence. Submissions are screened for similarity with iThenticate, and authors confirm that their work is original, approved by all co-authors and, where it involves human participants, conducted with appropriate ethical approval and consent.

Authors are expected to report their methods transparently and to acknowledge limitations, so that findings can be discussed and compared fairly. Research on men's roles in gender equality, on allyship and on organisational systems is welcome alongside work centred on women's experience.

"The conference is open to participants of every gender, background and discipline."

How You Can Take Part

  • Oral presentation

    Present your research in person at the venue, with a standard allocation of 15 minutes.

  • Poster presentation

    Display your research as a printed poster and discuss it with participants during the poster session.

  • Virtual presentation

    Present your research live online.

  • Listener

    Listeners attend in Paris without presenting and do not need to submit anything.

Presenters submit an abstract for review and register after acceptance. Mode of Presentation

Register to Attend

Accepted presenters

Once your abstract has been accepted, complete your registration to confirm your presentation.

Listeners

Register to attend in Paris without submitting a paper. Choose Listener under participation type.

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Submit Your Research

If you are still preparing your work, submit your abstract first. Review comes before presenter registration, and you will receive the decision by email within 7–14 business days.

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