Call for Papers

Overview

AAATE is looking forward to welcoming you on September 10-12, 2025, in Nicosia, Cyprus, for the 18th biennial AAATE 2025 Conference. You can download the call in PDF format here: Call for Papers

Every two years, the conference brings together researchers, experts, practitioners, manufacturers, Assistive Technology (AT) users, policymakers, and providers of AT and accessibility, as well as everyone else working in this field, to discuss the latest innovations and visionary ideas in the field of assistive technology and accessibility. We invite contributions on all aspects related to technology and disability across the value chain: Research, Design & Development, Production & Distribution, Service Delivery, Education & Training, and Use & Impact. Broad conference themes include but are not limited to:

  • AT for cognitive, sensory and motor disabilities
  • Emerging and innovative AT products and solutions
  • AT and education, employment, culture and leisure/sports
  • AT, smart environments, domotics and IoT
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
  • Inclusive gaming
  • Accessibility in all areas and sectors
  • Artificial Intelligence and disability
  • Mobility and seating solutions
  • Ageing and technology
  • AT service delivery systems, practices, quality and outcomes
  • Robotic AT
  • AT, digital health, and innovation in care
  • AT in low- and middle-income countries
  • AT in emergency settings
  • Policy related to AT and services
  • Global challenges in access to AT
  • AT education
  • Digital skills for all
  • AT and wider social issues (e.g. gender, environment, conflict, etc.)

Conference structure

The conference offers two main strands of contributions:

Research Strand

Presentation of scientific papers showcasing research outcomes, as well as conceptual and theoretical perspectives in all disciplinary areas in the field of assistive technology and accessibility.

Inclusion Forum

Policy Sessions: presenting and discussing a wide range of issues in the broader context of AT and accessibility, in relation to policy and decision-making in all disciplinary areas and across sectors

Educational Sessions: sharing and acquisition of knowledge and skills, development of learning experiences, delivering short workshops, and sharing of educational content

Innovation Area: showcasing new products, prototypes or service innovations 

Important dates

(all deadlines are 11.59pm CET)

  • September 30th – December 31st 2024: Special Thematic Sessions (STSs) submission period. This is a rolling process. STSs notification of acceptance and announcement on the conference website: 2 weeks after STS submission
  • January 1st 2025 – May 16th 2025: Inclusion Forum contributions submission period. This is a rolling process. Notification of acceptance will be provided during the process. 
  • January 31st 2025: Deadline for all Research Strand contributions
  • March 31st 2025: Research Strand notification of acceptance following peer review
  • May 16th 2025: Deadline for camera ready for all Research Strand contributions and presenters’ registration
  • May 31st 2025: Preliminary Programme announcement
  • July 15th 2025: Conference final programme announcement
  • September 8th-9th 2025: Pre-conference events
  • September 10th-12th: Conference

Registration

  • Before May 16th, 2025: early registration is compulsory for at least one of the presenters for the Research Strand (minimum 1 per contribution).
  • June 15th, 2025: early registration ends for all participants.
  • After June 15th, 2025: regular fee registration.

Submissions 

Special Thematic Sessions 

A Special Thematic Session (STS) includes a set of individual contributions (minimum 4, maximum 8) focusing on a specific topic or centred around the work of a national or international project. STSs are aimed at providing highly relevant discussions on innovative or emerging topics in the AT field. STS Proposers are expected to invite colleagues from the field to submit contributions, but anyone submitting a paper to the conference may choose one of the STS if they believe their work fits the topic.

Proposers of an STS should submit their proposal, using the STS template, to conference@aaate.net  by 31st of December 2024.

After the approval of the STS, each corresponding individual contribution will need to be submitted following the Research Strand submissions guidelines below. These will be blind-reviewed following the same review process as the individual research strand contributions that will be presented at the conference. During the submission process, authors of individual contributions will have the option to indicate the appropriate STS. 

STS proposers will chair the Sessions. The Conference registration fee will not be waived for STS speakers or chairs. 

Research Strand

All research strand initial submissions take the form of extended abstracts of 2-3 pages. A Research template can be downloaded from the conference website following the Research Contribution Template.

Submissions exceeding the required length or submitted in a different template will be desk rejected and not reviewed. 

Submissions will be uploaded on the conference content management system [LINK available soon].

During submission, the author(s) should indicate whether they are interested in publishing a Short Paper [the extended abstract (2-3 pages) revised following the reviewers comments] or a Full Paper [6-8 pages, extending the short paper submitted for review] – see publications options below. Additionally, authors will have the option to indicate a preferred STS. It is, however, noted that the final decision about the programme will be made by the Programme Committee.

All submissions to the research strand will be blind-reviewed by experts of the Scientific Committee.

Inclusion Forum

Inclusion forum contributions will be submitted using a specific template which differs according to the type of contribution. Acceptance of contributions to the Inclusion Forum is subject to the programme capacity and will be examined on the basis of first come, first served, between January 1st and May 16th, 2025.

You may download the corresponding templates from the conference website and submit your contribution by email to the following persons:

Submissions not provided on the correct template will be desk rejected. 

All inclusion forum contributions will be reviewed and finally approved by the Programme Committee on a rolling basis. Approved submissions will be included in the programme following the registration of the promoter. 

Presentation at the conference and publication options

Presentations at the conference

Each accepted Research Strand Contribution will be presented in an oral session (appr 12 min + 5 min for Q&A). 

Each accepted Policy and Educational Session will be assigned a time slot in the programme of 60 or 90 minutes.

Each accepted Innovation Area Contribution will be assigned a timeslot of 25 minutes.

Publications in Conference Proceedings Volumes

Research Strand 

There are two possible options for publication for the accepted contributions of the research strand.

Short Papers Collection from the AAATE 2025 Conference (AAATE self-publication)

Short paper publications of 2-3 pages following the camera-ready short paper template provided on the conference website [LINK available soon]. 

Proceedings of the conference by Springer

Full papers of 6-8 pages following the camera-ready full paper template and instructions provided on the conference website [LINK available soon]. 

IMPORTANT: During submission for review, authors should indicate which type of publication they are interested in for their final paper.

Inclusion forum

Contributions to the inclusion forum will be published on the conference website, after final approval.

Book of Abstracts

For all contributions, a book of abstracts (150-200 words each) will be published for complete documentation and to support conference navigation.

Additional Publication opportunity: The Program Committee will invite the best research-strand papers presented at the conference to submit a journal version of the work to be published in a Special Issue of the journal Technology and Disability. These will go through the journal’s review process once submitted through the IOS system.

To submit an individual research strand contribution, please follow the submission procedure at: 

Link to Conference Management System opening soon

Other ways to get involved

Become a collaborating organisation/consortium, allowing your members and affiliates to have access to a reduced fee. Use the Collaborating organisations template for more information.

Become a sponsor, creating visibility for your company and offering discounts to your business partners. Please contact hoogerwerf@aaate.net to discuss options. 

Become a partner organisation by contributing “in kind”. Please contact hoogerwerf@aaate.net to discuss options. 

Why you should attend the AAATE 2025 in Cyprus

Share and Contribute

Don’t keep your knowledge, work, expertise and experience for yourself and your team! Join us in contributing to the advancement of assistive technology in Europe and beyond, and in empowering the participation of all through the use of technology and the right of every person to access appropriate, affordable and accessible assistive and mainstream technologies.

Network, Collaborate & Learn

None of us knows everything! Together, we can remove barriers, provide opportunities, and unlock each person’s potential! The field of assistive technology is probably the most interdisciplinary field, and this is what we do: we interact for equal opportunities and participation for now and the future. Join the conference to keep the community growing!

Enjoy

Give yourself some time to enjoy Cyprus sunshine, beaches and cultural heritage. We promise excellent Cypriot hospitality and traditional Mediterranean cuisine!

Conference dress code

Light and comfortable, remember to bring your hat!

You can download the call in PDF format here: Call for Papers