Social Sciences Impact Conference 2026

2026 Social Sciences Impact Conference

A bright, multi-coloured collage of people's profiles

 

Today’s world is full of uncertainty – political, economic, social, technological and environmental. No part of our working or personal lives are immune to these shifting sands, which can sometimes lead to feelings of anxiety, ambivalence or frustration. However, this uncertainty also provides many opportunities to work together, to build resilience and enable meaningful change. This two-day social sciences impact conference (24-25 March 2026, St Anne’s College, Oxford), supported by the University of Oxford’s ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, will how explore how collaboration, openness, innovation and inclusion can help us move forward positively to address some of the major challenges we collectively face.

We will be seeking contributions to a diverse programme of case study presentations, panel discussions, workshops and skills sessions. Both academic and non-academic voices are warmly welcomed, either as individual or team applications.  

The call for contributions will launch June 2025 - check back soon for further details!

Discover all the films, illustrations and materials from our 2023 conference - Hope into Action - below:

Revisit our 2023 Social Sciences Impact Conference: Hope into Action

Social sciences research is essential in helping us understand and positively influence the world around us. Delivering scalable, inclusive and responsible impact – turning ‘Hope into Action’ – was the theme of the second Social Sciences Impact Conference, which took place in Oxford 20-21 March. 

The first conference, back in 2018, focused on the impact that social sciences research has beyond academia and how it can make a significant difference to societies and people's lives around the globe.

The unprecedented challenges of the past four years have put this to the test in the starkest terms imaginable. From a global pandemic and economic uncertainty to the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine, as well as the ever-present threats of climate change, these seismic changes had highlighted how social scientists play a crucial role in bringing a deeper understanding not only of these challenges, but also of the world around us.

What have we learned so far? What does it take to deliver impact in different and challenging contexts? How do we scale and sustain impacts? How do we deliver impact responsibly and inclusively? The ‘Hope into Action’ conference examined these questions and – through a variety of voices from academia and beyond – explored how social scientists continue to offer unique insights.

How can social sciences make change happen?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qcBU-vqneDo

What is impact in the social sciences?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZWey4cjrPb0