26th Annual University Forum for Human Resource Development (UFHRD) International Conference

The International Journal of Human Resource Development: Practice, Policy and Research (IJHRDPPR) is co-sponsored with the World Federation of People Management Associations. The aim of the Journal is to bring together international practice and academic expertise to promote and support the understanding and practice of Human Resource Development. The Journal seeks to bridge the academic practice gap, first and foremost from a practice perspective. As a practice-centred journal, it is aimed at synergising practice with theory to develop further insights. To achieve this the Journal:

• Adopts a practice driven perspective to the understanding of HRD: its construction, organisational and national positioning and its influence and impact.
• Encourages the exploration and reporting of pioneering and innovative practices in Human Resource Development at the individual, group and organisational levels in diverse settings.
• Highlights theory informed practice and practice-based research as key pathways to an enriched understanding of Human Resource Development, wherever it is practiced.
• Engages in practitioner and academic debate on innovative practice using country, industry, sector and organisationally specific case studies.
• Promotes rigorous analysis, review and discussion of Human Resource Development practice, policy and research.
• Draws from a global context and have areas of interest to an international readership.

Human Resource Development International (HRDI) is co-sponsored with the Academy of Human Resource Development. HRDI promotes all aspects of practice and research that explore issues of individual, group and organisational learning and performance. In adopting this perspective, the journal is committed to questioning the divide between practice and theory; between the practitioner and the academic; and between traditional and experimental methodological approaches.

HRDI is committed to a wide understanding of 'organisation' - one that extends through self-managed teams, voluntary work, or family businesses to global enterprises and bureaucracies. It also commits itself to exploring the development of organisations and the life-long learning of people and their collectivity (organisation), their strategy and their policy, from all parts of the world. In this way HRDI will become a leading forum for debate and exploration of the interdisciplinary field of human resource development.

Alan Moon was an initial founder of the UFHRD and its first executive secretary and a champion of HRD. The prize is presented in memory of him, and is awarded to the best paper at the UFHRD Annual Conference.

Key criteria include:

• The paper is drawn from and has a focus on professional practice.
• The paper has a direct and overt content detailing reflection and its outcomes.
• The findings and conclusions of the paper have potential value and application in professional practice.
• The research design and procedures reflect a partnership approach between academics and professional practitioners.
• The writing is such that the paper will appeal to both academic and practitioner journals and readers.

The Learning and Education prize is designed to recognise and promote learning, teaching and education in HRD and is organised by the University Forum for HRD (UFHRD) Learning and Education Committee. The Forum’s mission is to create, develop and inform HRD theories and practices through research, learning and teaching, and practitioner-informed inquiry.

The Learning and Education Resource Bank is a web-based facility which exists to support UFHRD members and to promote excellence and innovation in the teaching of HRD. Contributions to the Resource Bank should be adaptable resources to inspire colleagues. Submissions could be case studies, activities for online or class based sessions, innovative approaches with examples but should not include whole module or programme designs.

Further details and the Call for Submissions is normally available in February.

The Honoraria are designed to contribute to the mission of the UFHRD which is to create, develop and inform leading edge HRD theory and practices through professionally focused qualifications, collaborative research initiatives and consultancy interventions. A priority for the Forum is to encourage the development of new-to-research HRD colleagues, both scholars and practitioners. An important goal of the Honorarium is to help broaden participation in HRD research activity.

Further details and the Call for Proposals is normally available in February.

Further prizes and awards will also be available at the conference at the discretion of the Conference Organisers. These often include awards for doctoral students (at the doctoral symposium) and Early Career Researchers. Further details will be released as we get closer to the conference.