Building on the momentum of the 2nd UNITAR International Research Conference (2UIRC), the 3rd UNITAR International Research Conference (3UIRC) invites global scholars, practitioners, policymakers, students, and community leaders to engage in critical dialogue and collaborative action on 3-4 December 2025 at the UN House, Brussels.  
 
Together, we aim to address the complex challenges of our time by advancing transformative, interdisciplinary approaches to achieving: 

• SDG 4 – Quality Education 

• SDG 13 – Climate Action 

• SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions 

• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals 
    

The 3UIRC will serve as a platform for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, amplifying diverse voices, and bridging the gap between knowledge production and real-world action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. 

• Abstracts may reflect (but are not limited to):

  • Original research and data-driven analysis 

  • Conceptual or theoretical frameworks 

  • Policy analysis or evaluations of development programs 

  • Comparative or cross-regional studies 

  • Forward-looking insights based on lessons learned 

• Authors are invited to submit a structured abstract that clearly outlines:

  • The research question or objective 

  • Methodological approach 

  • Key arguments, insights, or findings 

  • Relevance to the volume’s theme 

Editorial Process and Next Steps 
Abstracts will be reviewed by the editorial team for relevance, originality, and thematic fit. Selected authors will be invited to submit full papers, which will undergo a double-blind peer review process, in accordance with international academic publishing standards and the editorial guidelines for formal UN publication. Each manuscript will be evaluated anonymously by at least two independent reviewers to ensure scholarly rigour, thematic coherence, and alignment with UNITAR’s mission and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

While the volume is intended for submission to the UN-iLibrary, final publication remains subject to editorial timelines, resource availability, and the publishing priorities of the United Nations. As such, inclusion in the UN-iLibrary cannot be guaranteed and lies beyond UNITAR’s direct control. 

Our standards require that final manuscripts adhere to bibliographic and scholarly standards, including citation formatting (APA, Chicago, or UN style). 

All abstracts must represent original work not currently under review elsewhere. 

The deadline to submit an abstract is 12 September 2025. If you wish to apply to present your paper at the conference, please note that acceptance is subject to review and approval by the 3UIRC Organising Committee. All selected presenters will be required to register and pay the conference fee for either of the two modalities, depending on your choice:

· Online: https://event.unitar.org/full-catalog/online-3rd-unitar-international-research-conference-bridging-knowledge-and-action
· In-person: https://event.unitar.org/full-catalog/person-3rd-unitar-international-research-conference-bridging-knowledge-and-action

Guidelines for Submission 

1. Submission Method: 

• Abstracts must be submitted online via this official webform only. 

• Email submissions will not be accepted. 

2. Submission Deadline: 

• Abstracts must be received by the specified deadline (12 September 2025).

• Late submissions will not be considered. 

3. Limitations:

• You may submit up to three abstracts, regardless of whether you are the presenting author. 

• You may serve as the presenting author on up to three abstracts. 

• The presenting author must ensure that all co-authors are informed about and agree to the content of the abstract before submission. 

• Abstracts previously submitted to another congress but not presented may be submitted to the 3UIRC. 

• Novel data requirement:  

  • All submitted abstracts must include new data. 

  • Abstracts stating “data will be discussed in the presentation” will not be accepted. 

  • Abstracts must be submitted in English.
     

Please fill in the form below for a chance to be considered for the 3UIRC!

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