Twenty-Third International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

  • Innovating for Sustainable Futures
  • 20-22 January 2027
  • Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa + Online

2027 Themes and Special Focus

On Sustainability Research Network is brought together by a common concern for sustainability from a holistic perspective, where environmental, cultural, economic, and social interests intersect. We seek to build an epistemic community where we can make linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries. As a Research Network we are defined by our scope and concerns and motivated to build strategies for action framed by our shared themes and tensions.

The Twenty-Third International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability features research addressing the following annual themes.

  • 2027 Special Focus—Innovating for Sustainable Futures
  • Theme 1: Ecological Realities
  • Theme 2: Participatory Process
  • Theme 3: Economic, Social and Cultural Context
  • Theme 4: Education, Assessment and Policy

Participate as a Presenter

For over 15 years, we've offered a place to create an intellectual frame of reference and to support an interdisciplinary conversation presenting innovative theories and practices of sustainability. We welcome returning and new members to add their voices to the conversation.

In-Person: In-Person presentations will be delivered onsite. We offer innovative formats for a range of presentation styles.

Online Only: online presentations will be delivered and viewed online as asynchronous digital media. Online Only presenters also have discussion boards to structure conversations and access to other online activities.

Conference as Archive: we'll capture and add as much content as possible on the conference microsite. While it's a requirement for online-only presenters, we strongly encourage in-person presenters to pre-record and upload their presentations to the conference microsite. The conference microsite becomes an archive to which delegates and Research Network members can return anytime.

With this step-by-step guide, we walk you through the new phases pre/during/post-conference to ensure you have a productive conference.

Participate as an Audience Member

Audience Passes are for those who want to benefit from the content, connect with presenters, and join the discussion. Audience members will also be recognized in the program for their participation. We welcome returning and new members to add their voices to the conversation.

In-Person: participate in innovative in-person formats, plenaries, talking circles, garden conversations, and on a human scale. You will also have access to all online-only content.

Online Only: gain access to live and recorded presentations, welcome addresses, plenaries, and curated thematic content -- from any place and in your own time.

Conference as Archive: we'll capture and add as much content as possible on the conference microsite. And you can help here too. If you do not see digital media on a presenter page, you can request it from the presenter. You can also add comments to discussion boards of all content. The conference microsite becomes an archive to which delegates and Research Network members can return anytime.

Publication Opportunities

All accepted proposals are eligible to be submitted to the On Sustainability Journal Collection. And authors, reviewers, and Research Network members gain subscriber access to the collection.

We are working to change how knowledge is produced, validated, and shared within member-based Research Networks.

The On Sustainability Journal Collection offers pathways to transform your presentation into formal research objects. We also offer several affordable Open Access pathways to allow maximum flexibility to support principles of open research and funder mandates.

2027 Important Dates

We welcome the submission of proposals at any time of the year. The dates below serve as a guideline for proposal submission based on our corresponding registration deadlines. All proposals will be reviewed within two to four weeks of submission.

Proposal & Registration Dates

Proposal Deadlines

Advance Proposal Deadline 20 March 2026
Early Proposal Deadline 20 June 2026
Regular Proposal Deadline 20 October 2026
Late Proposal Deadline 20 December 2026

Registration Deadlines

Advance Registration Deadline 20 April 2026
Early Registration Deadline 20 July 2026
Regular Registration Deadline 20 December 2026
Late Registration Deadline 20 January 2027

Digital Media Deadline

All Presenters (In-Person and Online Only) are asked to upload Digital Media (a video of the presentation as embed code, MP4, PowerPoint, or PDF) to their Presentation pages. This content will be delivered and viewed online as asynchronous digital media. We require presenters to add their digital media to their Presenter Page at least one week before the conference start date, as our Program Development Team will review all media.

Tips on how to upload digital media to you your CGScholar Presenter Page. Take the link to the Event Microsite Guide to find out more.

Digital Media Deadline 13 January 2027

Submit Your Proposal

We also offer two language pathways to present your research or practice -- English or Spanish.

Use the buttons below to submit a proposal for review.