ISSID 2027 is coming to Durham

The International Society for the Study of Individual Differences will meet at Durham University from 19 to 23 July 2027, and abstract submissions are now open.

Durham. View from bridge

The 2027 conference of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences (ISSID) will take place at Durham University in the United Kingdom, from Monday 19 to Friday 23 July 2027. The ISSID Summer School runs immediately beforehand, on 17 and 18 July. ISSID members will also be offered pre-conference workshops, with details to be announced.

Keynote speakers

There are five excellent keynotes confirmed for the 2027 conference

• Elena L. Grigorenko (Baylor College of Medicine, University of Houston and Yale University), who will deliver the Eysenck Lecture

• Wiebke Bleidorn (University of Zurich)

• Florian Schmiedek (DIPF | Leibniz Institute)

• Steve Woods (Surrey Business School, University of Surrey)

• Belén López-Pérez (University of Manchester)

Submitting your abstract

Abstract submission is open until 20 November 2026, with decisions expected by mid-January 2027. The conference welcomes three formats:

• Oral presentations. Each talk has 17.5 minutes, including discussion.

• Posters. Posters are A0 in portrait orientation. At least one author must attend the poster session.

• Symposia. A symposium has a chair and four or five presenters, and a discussant may replace one presenter. Sessions run for 70 minutes with four speakers or 90 minutes with five. Symposium submissions need a theme paragraph of up to 200 words explaining the topic’s importance to individual differences research, plus up to 200 words describing each speaker’s contribution.

All abstracts must be in English and no longer than 200 words. The Scientific Committee will decide on acceptance and presentation format. Submissions are made through OxfordAbstracts, and full instructions are on the submission page.

Registration

Registration opens in November 2026. Early bird registration ends on 5 March 2027. Presenters must register by 30 June 2027 for their abstract to appear in the conference programme. The registration fee covers the welcome event, coffee breaks, lunches, and a reception with poster presentations. The conference dinner is not included. Fees will be published when registration opens.

The venue

Sessions will be held at Durham University’s Teaching and Learning Centre on South Road, about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the city centre. The centre has two tiered lecture theatres, seating around 496 and 246, along with 13 flexible rooms for symposia, workshops and parallel sessions. A large open event space will host catering, exhibitions and posters.

Where to stay

Rooms have been arranged for 18 to 24 July 2027 at three Durham hotels:

• Delta Hotels Durham Royal County, £150 per night

• Hotel Indigo Durham, £155 per night

• Radisson Blu Hotel Durham, £149 per night

All three are single occupancy with breakfast included. College rooms at Collingwood and Grey Colleges, close to the venue, are expected to cost around £70 per night including breakfast, though this is not yet final. Booking details will be added to the website once arrangements are confirmed. The site notes that Durham is hilly, and some routes involve slopes, steps or uneven surfaces.

Why Durham?

Durham is a historic cathedral city on the River Wear. Its cathedral and castle together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Durham Castle was built in 1072 on William the Conqueror’s orders. The cathedral grew from a community founded by monks who arrived in 995 carrying the relics of St Cuthbert. Durham University, founded in 1832, is one of England’s oldest universities, with colleges spread throughout the city. For delegates planning extra time, nearby options include the North Pennines and Durham Dales and the Northumberland coast, with Bamburgh Castle and Vindolanda.

Who’s organising

The conference is chaired and organised by Dr Sarah A. Walker and a local committee based in the School of Education at Durham University (Prof Jens Beckmann, Prof Nadin Beckmann, Dr Michael Priestley), supported by an international Scientific Committee. The full programme is being prepared and will be shared on the conference website.

For updates, visit issid2027.org. Questions can be sent to the Organising Chair at sarah.a.walker@durham.ac.uk.