Making Diversity Interventions Count Annual Conference (MDICAC) 2026
The 15th MDICAC brings together renowned scholars, practitioners, thought leaders and students from the UK and internationally to explore and reflect on research and development in equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The conference will take place in-person.
Date: Thursday 28 May 2026, 09:00 – 17:00 BST.
Location: University of Bradford, Norcroft Centre, Richmond Road, BD7 1BP, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
Find out more about Call for abstracts.
About the conference
MDICAC provides a forum for scholars, practitioners, policymakers and students to meaningfully engage with research, development and practice in the field of equality, equity / diversity and inclusion (EDI). Through an emphasis on the generation, synthesis and application of knowledge on equality-focused interventions, the conference advances robust, evidence-informed approaches to diversity practice within organisations and across sectors.
Central to its purpose is a commitment to interrogating prevailing assumptions and challenging accepted norms in contemporary society. The conference creates a space for rigorous, thought-provoking engagement and encourages inter and intra-disciplinary exchange, fostering the generation of ideas, and contributing to scholarship and innovative practices.
This year’s conference invites critical, evidence-informed and practice-based contributions that engage with the structural, cultural and systemic dimensions of EDI.
At a time when EDI is subject to heightened scrutiny and rapid global, technological and organisational change, the conference provides a space to examine:
- how leadership and governance shape power, accountability and social justice,
- how the credibility and impact of EDI can be strengthened through rigorous and ethical practice,
- how emerging global and digital forces are reshaping the future of inclusion.
We welcome contributions that move beyond symbolic commitment and reactive responses, offering insight into how EDI can be advanced through principled leadership, robust evidence and forward-looking strategies capable of delivering sustained and meaningful change across organisations and societies.
The conference will host the annual Barbara Burford Memorial Lecture in honour of Barbara’s outstanding leadership and contribution to EDI.