Beyond the Presentation: Interactive Genres at Hungarian Higher Education Conferences

Abstract

Our study focuses on the renewal of conference formats in Hungarian higher education. In recent decades, alternative conference formats have spread worldwide that prioritise active participant engagement, community-based knowledge building, and professional discourse grounded in interaction. In the Hungarian higher education context, however, traditional conference models based on one-way information transfer still dominate. The aim of our study is to advocate for the widespread adoption of interactive, discursive conference styles in Hungary by presenting international best practices and highlighting existing domestic initiatives that can serve as models. We address the factors to be considered when successfully introducing these new formats, with particular regard to the sector-specific reality that there remains significant demand for publication opportunities in academic life. The domestic examples described in the study—such as the KRE Conference on Educational Informatics, the ELTE PPK Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, or the Forum of Higher Education Developers organised by the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference—confirm that change has begun in Hungary as well. Finally, we articulate a concrete commitment from the authors and call on our colleagues to actively participate in this innovation as well.