2026 International Forum for Peer Learning and Support

The Association for Peer Learning and Support, in collaboration with the European Centre for SI:PASS, is pleased to invite you to the in-person conference at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh on 21st and 22nd May, 2026.

The International Forum for Peer Learning and Support is free to attend, and will provide an opportunity to explore a range of peer learning and support initiatives in higher education and connect with colleagues who share a passion for this field.

This year the forum is running over two days with an optional workshop on Thursday afternoon, open to all delegates who are interested in publishing their research on the area of peer learning and support. This will be followed by an evening social gathering in Edinburgh city centre. The main conference programme will run over the full day on the Friday with a selection of lightning talks, workshops, and round-table discussions.

Register for the conference ; there is an option on the form to note interest in the Thursday afternoon workshop. Registration closes: 5pm on Friday, 27th February, 2026.

51��׻�� QMU
Call for Contributions & Webinar
Thursday Afternoon Workshop
Travel and Accommodation
Thursday Evening Social

51��׻�� the University

We aim to shape a better world through education, research and innovation. In doing so, we enable individuals and communities to flourish.

Our person-centred approach to learning makes us stand out from other universities, along with our focus on making society better. Our academic offering also distinguishes us. We dedicate ourselves to subjects where we can offer a distinctive offering - in healthcare; social sciences; creative arts; business, management and enterprise; and primary and secondary teaching.

Outward looking, we have strong ethos of partnership and collaboration. At our modern campus, we benefit from easy access to the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland’s vibrant and historic capital city.

We are pioneers in inclusiveness and we embrace people from all backgrounds. Social justice is central to our values.

The forum aims to offer informative sessions, with themes covering but not limited to:

Technology��

Terminology (is ‘peer’ limiting?)��

Evaluation��

Budgets & making PALS work on a low budget (value for money)��

Inclusivity in sessions
Novel approaches to peer learning and support

We welcome proposals from staff working in peer learning but also from students involved in peer learning programmes. Call for Proposals closes 5pm on 16^th February, 2026. Please submit your proposal .

This year, we are offering a webinar in January to support any students who would like to submit a proposal to present, and any staff who are thinking about submitting a proposal for the first time. At this webinar, the Forum organisers will provide advice and guidance on how to develop a proposal idea and structure the proposal for submission. In the true ethos of peer support, part of the session will be split, with students being giving an opportunity to work with other students who have previously presented at the Forum, while staff will continue discussions separately.

The webinar will be on 26th January 2026 from 2pm UK time and it will be hosted on MS Teams. A link to sign up will be shared soon, and information will be shared on the usual networks.

On the Thursday afternoon, there is an optional workshop open to all delegates who are interested in publishing their research on the area of peer learning and support, but are unsure how to go about this. It is facilitated by Dr Nevan Bermingham, co-editor of the Journal of Peer Learning.

Join us for a free afternoon workshop designed for peer learning practitioners or anyone simply curious about starting a research journey. Hosted by The Forum for Peer Learning and the Journal of Peer Learning, this session will focus on qualitative research options and guide you from an initial idea toward a realistic project plan. Through instruction and guided hands-on tasks, we’ll aim to simplify the research process by offering a few logical methodology pathways, highlight how to achieve publication, and demystify how academic journals like the Journal of Peer Learning work. The boot-camp approach will help you avoid potential pitfalls as you take your first steps toward research publication.

Spaces are limited so please sign up for the conference and this workshop soon. Please note that Dr Nevan Bermingham will consider running the workshop again if there is enough interest in it.

Registration closes 5pm on Friday, 27th February, 2026. Sign up for the conference and workshop .

Location and Getting Here

Our campus is easily accessible whether you are travelling to us by bike, foot, public transport, or car.

QMU campus is located close to Musselburgh, east of Edinburgh city centre. The best way to access the campus is through public transport or walking/cycling. We have Musselburgh train station at our front door and bus services stopping on campus. National cycle Route 1 provides direct access via active travel. Vehicular access can only be gained from the A1.

Sustainability is a key element of the campus' design and we further encourage it with a Green Travel Policy. Staff, students and visitors are encouraged to travel sustainably and car parking permits are awarded based on need. For example, those with caring responsibilities will be given priority.

For further information see this page on our website.��

On Thursday evening there will be a social event held in Edinburgh. Details of this event will be shared soon.

Further Information

You can find out more about our collaboration and wider PASS community through the .

We also recommend visiting the to explore discussions, resources, and updates shared across the network.