Join us for the 25th International Conference taking place 11th – 13th June 2025 at Ulster University.
11th – 13th June 2025
University Forum for Human Resource Development Conference
Welcome to the Annual UFHRD 2025 Conference
Ulster University are delighted to host the 25th UFHRD International Conference at Ulster University Belfast.
We look forward to welcoming you on 11th – 13th June 2025 for UFHRD at Ulster University, Belfast. Please use the link below to register and secure your place:
Conference rates are as follows:
- Early Bird Rate (available until 28th March 2025) - £300
- Full Delegate (fee after 28th March 2025) - £350
- Doctoral Student - £220
- Gala Dinner Ticket (optional)
Supporters
The International Conference is supported by the University Forum for Human Resource Development (UFHRD) and the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD).
UFHRD 2025 Belfast video
Conference Theme
“HRD 4.0: An Academic, Practical and Policy Perspective”
The fourth industrial revolution is transforming the workplace and human resources. As well as blurring the lines between people and technology, it is reshaping the way people work, manage, recruit, interact and learn. The impact of these changes is widespread and spans all industries, economies and societies. As a community of academics, professional practitioners and policy makers we have the opportunity, and arguably the obligation, to examine the future of work and HRD in this new industrial landscape.
The 2025 UFHRD conference will provide a platform for multi-disciplinary knowledge exchange as well as the creation and promotion of directions for HRD professionals, academics and government support agencies to help capitalize upon the benefits and mitigate the challenges of HRD 4.0.
The conference goals are two-fold and are designed to be of interest and relevance to our increasingly diverse UFHRD community:
- Exploration of how digitization and industry 4.0 has affected the field of HRD and what implications this has had / will have for professional practice, academia and policy support and intervention.
- Critical evaluation of the espoused value of HRD 4.0 and reconsideration of the role and importance of human interaction as a key mechanism underpinning HRD.
In line with the conference theme we invite submissions that address industry 4.0 and the implications it has had / will have for HRD from a practical, academic and policy perspective.
Areas of interest include but are not limited to:
- What implications does industry 4.0 have for HRD theory, policy, and practice?
- How can HRD contribute to enhanced societal, organisational, and individual success in the context of industry 4.0.
- How has the role of the HRD practitioner changed within the context of industry 4.0 and what does this mean for the profession?
- What new / existing models of HRD are prevalent in the industry 4.0 context? What are the implications of this for the HRD academic?
- What new conceptualisations of HRD may emerge in the context of industry 4.0 e.g. the emerging nature of AI and its impact in the workplace.
- How has industry 4.0 changed the future of work and what implications does this have for HRD.
- How can policy makers better support and encourage HRD practices in the increasingly digitized and technologically advanced workplace
Keynote Speakers
We are delighted to announce and welcome Professor Emma Parry, Professor Colin Lindsay and Mr Gordon Parkes as our keynote speakers at UFHRD 2025.
With extensive knowledge in the field of HRD and expertise in the changing nature of work all of our speakers will be an exciting addition to our conversations surrounding HRD 4.0: An Academic, Practical and Policy Perspective.
Professor Emma Parry
Cranfield University
Emma is an internationally renowned expert in Human Resource Management and the changing world of work with a particular interest in the impact of technological innovation, workforce demographics and changing employee attitudes.
She is Head of the Changing World of Work Group at Cranfield, Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Human Resource Management (IJHRM) and Chair of the British Academy of Management (BAM).
Professor Colin Lindsay
University of Strathclyde
Colin is a leading voice in workplace transformation and employee engagement. His innovative research continues to shape the future of HR development.
He is the Deputy Director of the Scottish Centre for Employment Research and Director of the ESRC PrOPEL Hub, a UKRI initiative aiming to boost productivity and wellbeing by supporting the growth of better workplaces in the UK.
Gordon Parkes
Executive Director – People & Culture, NIE Networks
Gordon has worked for NIE Networks for 24 years. He has over 40 years’ experience in Human Resources across several organisations and sectors.
He is a Board Member of the Board of Trustees of the Grand Opera House Trust and of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He is currently Chair of the Green Skills Delivery Group and also a member of the Northern Ireland Skills Council established by the Department for the Economy.
Since 2013 he has been a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and, in 2019, was awarded Chartered Companion status by the CIPD Board. He holds a Masters in Business Administration, is a member of the Institute of Directors and holds a Diploma in Company Direction (DipIoD). In 2023, he was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building Fellowship Programme.
With insights and experiences eminently transferable to other sectors we are excited to have Gordon as part of our expert panel of speakers.
Conference Timeline
- 27th September 2024: Call for papers
- 13th January 2025: Final date for abstract submission
- 10th February 2025: Decision notification to authors
- 28th March 2025: Early bird registration closes
- 19th May 2025: Final papers submission (full and working papers)
- 29th May 2025: Conference registration closes
- 11th – 13th June 2025: UFHRD Belfast 2025
Gala Dinner 12th June 2025
The Gala Dinner for the 25th International Conference on Human Resource Development, will be held at the historic Belfast City Hall located a short walk from the Conference Venue and in the heart of Belfast City Centre.
Call for Submissions
For this year’s conference, we invite submissions however broadly, within the following conference themes:
- Leadership, management and talent development
- Coaching and mentoring
- Global, comparative and cross-cultural dimensions of HRD
- Employee engagement
- Workplace learning, training and development
- Strategic capabilities and the changing nature of work
- Learning in small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
- Practitioner Research & Learning and Education
- Critical, Social and Diversity Perspectives in HRD
Submission Guidelines
-
Submission Guidelines
The conference accepts extended abstracts relating to full papers, working papers and practice-based papers as well as posters from doctoral students describing original research, studies and/or innovative practices that have not been published elsewhere. We welcome empirical studies, case studies, conceptual/ theoretical papers and practitioner research.
On submission, you will need to provide:
- Conference programme selection (doctoral symposium for posters or main conference);
- Conference stream;
- Author(s) name;
- Author(s)’s affiliation (if applicable);
- Contact email address;
- Your abstract (Please ensure you DO NOT include your name in the abstract or file name to ensure anonymity for review purposes).
All extended abstract submissions should be in English, and can take one of the following formats:
- Full reviewed papers, 1000 words Max.
- Working papers, 500 words Max.
- Doctoral Symposium Poster Submissions, see guidelines below.
Please note that the word limits outlined above exclude references.
All authors will receive the decision and feedback on their extended abstract / poster by the beginning of February. If accepted authors will be invited to submit their final (full or working) paper no later than the 19th May 2024. Additional guidance will be issued upon acceptance of the extended abstract.
-
Extended Abstract Submission - Key Prompts
Abstracts should stress and sum up the paper’s importance, theoretical base, research purpose, research question, implications for practice, and conclusions. Key prompts for inclusion within these abstracts include:
- Paper’s importance
- Theoretical base
- Research purpose and research question/s
- Methods
- Key findings (if relevant)
- Implications for HRD practice
- Conclusions
- Key words
-
Doctoral Symposium Poster Submission - Guidelines
Doctoral students are invited to submit full or working papers to the main conference but are also welcome to submit a poster to the doctoral symposium. Posters should be developed as per the following guidelines:
- Single sheet
- Portrait orientation
- Helvetica, Verdana or Arial font styles only
- Images and diagrams are encouraged where appropriate
- Poster content should provide an outline of the following key areas (where possible):
- Paper’s importance
- Theoretical base
- Research purpose and research question/s
- Methods
- Key findings (if relevant)
- Implications for HRD practice
- Conclusions
- Key words
-
Confirmation of Invitation - Visa Requirements
Any delegates who require a confirmation of invitation letter to fulfill Visa requirements, please email: c.woods1@ulster.ac.uk
Doctoral Symposium
The Doctoral Symposium is scheduled to take place on 11th June 2025 at Ulster University Belfast and we strongly encourage all interested Doctoral students to attend what is set to be a memorable and valuable symposium.
Why attend the Doctoral Symposium?
- Develop dynamic connections – being a PhD / Professional Doctoral student can be an incredibly lonely place. Our Doctoral Symposium will offer you both structured and informal networking opportunities, allowing you to connect with like minded people who share your passion and interests.
- Engage with experts – Our Doctoral Symposium provides a developmental space where you can interact with, learn from, and gain valuable feedback from established senior professionals and scholars.
- Innovative ideas – This annual gathering is the perfect platform for you to ‘test’ your ideas while gaining constructive and developmental feedback. You will also have the opportunity to engage with ground-breaking ideas, discoveries and current theories relevant to our field, sparking inspiration for your own work.
- Clarify your contribution - One of the key challenges in research is clarifying and articulating your unique contribution to knowledge. Our doctoral symposium will help you overcome this challenge and allow you to fully justify your work and its value in the field.
- Cultivate your confidence – The symposium will provide you with a safe space where you can ask questions, present ideas, and talk to fellow colleagues about your research, building your confidence as both a researcher and scholar. It doesn’t matter where you are in your research journey – we would love for you to join us and to share your ideas, building your confidence in the welcoming environment that is UFHRD2025 Belfast.
Location
The 2025 UFHRD conference will be hosted at Ulster University Belfast city campus. Officially opened in 2023 by President Joe Biden the Belfast campus is situated in the artistic and cultural centre of the city, the Cathedral Quarter.
Belfast is a vibrant city that caters for all tastes and trends. Entrenched in history delegates will find interest in exploring the various historical landmarks located within the city and gain insight into our complex past via black cab or hop on hop off bus tours. For those wishing to sample some of our cuisine there are a wide array of restaurants on offer as well as St Georges Market which offers the opportunity to sample some of our hand-crafted local delicacies (of particular note is our namesake the “Belfast Bap”) as well as immerse yourself in some music, craft, culture and craic while you are there.
Delegates may also be interested to visit the Titanic Centre, one of Belfast’s most impressive visitor attractions and a recipient of the World's Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards. Alternatively, for those more intrigued by the stars of stage and screen, Belfast and Northern Ireland more generally has taken its place centre stage as a prime filming location for large scale productions including the Game of Thrones and Dracula to name but a few. No matter what your persuasion Belfast offers something for everyone, and we are confident that the 2025 UFHRD conference will leave a lasting impression on all of our delegates.
Map
Getting Here
Getting to Belfast couldn’t be easier.
Northern Ireland has three airports, sea crossings from England and Scotland, and a direct rail link from Dublin. Coming from further afield? No problem. You can fly direct to Belfast from over 20 European cities and a number of North American locations.
By Air
George Best Belfast City Airport
Belfast City Airport is just three miles from Belfast City Centre. Aer Lingus Regional, British Airways, KLM, EasyJet and Eastern Airways all fly to and from Belfast City Airport.
The Translink Airport Express 600 bus service runs between the airport and Belfast City Centre.
Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport is a 30 minute drive from Belfast City Centre. EasyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, Virgin Atlantic, TUI and Wizz all fly to and from Belfast International Airport.
The Translink Airport Express 300 bus service runs between the airport and Belfast City Centre.
Further Information
Delegate Offers
Belfast is famous for its hospitality and friendly warm welcome. To help you make the most of your visit we have made available a selection of exclusive offers and discounts for UFHRD 2025 conference delegates.
Accommodation
-
Ramada Belfast
Ramada Belfast is a recommended conference hotel with 20% discount for UFHRD delegates.
Use the link below to book your accommodation and apply the discount.
-
IBIS Belfast City Centre and Holiday Inn Express
10% discount off their best flexible rates for this conference. Guests can email or call their in-house reservations teams quoting UFHRD 2025 to book their own accommodation. A credit or debit card number with a valid expiry date will be required at the time of the booking.
Discounted rates are only available when booking directly with the hotel. Bookings can be made by phone or email:
Contact
- Telephone: 028 90 891 941
- Email: h7232-re@accor.com
The conference discount will be available until 6 weeks prior to arrival (29th April 2025).
-
Grand Central Hotel
50 rooms have been held at a discounted rate of £230 per night (Bed and Breakfast). Bookings should be made as soon as possible by contacting the reservations team and quoting the discount reference: UFHRD and Block ID 651357
-
Europa Hotel
30 rooms have been held at a discounted rate of £220 per night (Bed and Breakfast). Bookings should be made as soon as possible by contacting the reservations team and quoting the discount reference: UFHRD and Block ID 651356
Conference Organising Committee
If you have any questions or queries please reach out to any of the team:
Conference Co-Chairs: Professor Martin McCracken & Dr. Judith Woods
Conference Support Co-Ordinator: Christina Woods