Behind every major international event lies a dedicated team and months of meticulous planning. The Local Organising Committee for the ATEE Annual Conference 2026 had its first official meeting in November at the University of Białystok’s Faculty of Education to plan a roadmap for the months ahead.

The team visible in the attached photo represents the operational heart of the upcoming conference. Our recent meeting marked a pivotal moment in the preparation process – it was here that the vision of "Crossing borders with and in teacher education" began to translate into concrete tasks, timelines, and procedures. Although August 2026 is still some time away, the scale of this undertaking requires every cog in the machine to be perfectly aligned well in advance.

During our extensive discussions, we divided up tasks in order to ensure a smooth flow of information and logistics at every stage – from the call for abstracts to the closing ceremony.

Significant attention was also dedicated to communication and promotion strategies: we made plans to develop our new conference website, and discussed our strategy for securing partners and patronages. Plus, we started to brainstorm our social and cultural programme, since our goal is to showcase the multicultural spirit and natural beauty of the Podlasie region in a truly engaging and unique way.

The meeting also covered topics that are lighter in nature but equally important. A lively and creative exchange of ideas concerned the social and cultural programme. We want the stay in Białystok to be a memorable experience for our guests from Europe and beyond. Planning the excursions and accompanying attractions is a challenge we have accepted with great pleasure – our goal is to showcase the multicultural spirit and natural beauty of the Podlasie region in an engaging and unique way.

So, our work is now in full swing, and we will be announcing the further results of our efforts in due course. Thank you for joining us on this journey towards the ATEE 2026 annual conference!