Academic Conference Days
Inquisitas Academic Conference Days bring together Oxford and Cambridge researchers from a range of disciplines to explore some of the most pressing challenges shaping our world today - from technological innovation and the climate crisis to global conflict, migration, and post-colonial legacies.
Designed for students aged 16+, these interdisciplinary events offer a unique opportunity to see how academic research connects to real-world issues. Participants experience university-style learning through live lectures, interactive panel discussions, and guided workshops, developing key skills in critical thinking, debate, and analysis.
Held online during the Christmas and Easter holidays, each one-day conference features a curated programme led by academic experts, making cutting-edge ideas in the Humanities and Social Sciences accessible, engaging, and inspiring.
What to Expect
Our online Academic Conference Days are immersive, fast-paced, and intellectually stimulating. Each event brings together curious and ambitious students for a full day of interactive lectures, live Q&As, and academic discussion addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing society today.
Students hear directly from Oxford and Cambridge academics about their latest research, explore complex ideas across disciplines, and gain valuable insight into what advanced study in the Humanities and Social Sciences looks like - both at university and in the wider world.
During the day you can expect:
A full programme of live lectures, Q&As, panel discussions, and student workshops on your chosen theme
Thought-provoking sessions led by Oxford and Cambridge researchers
Opportunities to engage with cutting-edge ideas and real-world research
A space to discuss, debate, and connect with like-minded peers from around the world
Who Are They For?
Our Academic Conference Days are designed for curious and ambitious students aged 16+, from any subject background, who want to explore how the Humanities and Social Sciences help us understand - and change - the world around us.
They’re ideal for students who want to:
See their subjects in action - exploring how academic research connects to real-world challenges and social change
Gain fresh insight into current research and the state of global debates
Experience university-style learning and discover what studying these subjects looks like in practice
Learn the power of interdisciplinary thinking, seeing how different fields work together to tackle complex problems
Get inspiration for future pathways - from university choices to potential careers
Build confidence in critical thinking, discussion, debate, and presentation
Connect with like-minded peers who share their curiosity about the world
Engage with the bigger picture of learning beyond the classroom, and feel inspired about how they might make an impact in their own studies, careers, and communities.
Supporting Student Goals
Inquisitas Conference Days are designed to spark curiosity, deepen engagement, and support ambitious academic journeys. Here’s how they help students go further:
Explore New Ideas
Hear directly from leading Oxford and Cambridge academics on cutting-edge topics that go beyond the school curriculum, and explore how your favourite subjects can contribute to solving the challenges of the modern world.
Develop Academic Confidence
Engage in live Q&A and discussion, and participate in workshop tasks, building the confidence to ask questions, form opinions, and articulate ideas
Strengthen University Applications
Demonstrate genuine subject interest and intellectual initiative beyond just enjoyment - ideal for UCAS statements, interview prep, and competitive applications
Stay Motivated Over the Holidays
Make the most of the Christmas or Easter break with enriching, high-level academic experiences that inspire continued learning.
Whether you’re aiming for top university places or simply want to know more about how the Humanities & Social Sciences are tackling global challenges, our Academic Conference Days are a powerful, accessible way to stretch your thinking and get inspired to go further.
Academic Conference Days Winter 2025
Monday 15 - Friday 19 December 2025
Explore how the Humanities and Social Sciences help us understand - and shape - the world we live in.
Each of our five online conference days is led by academics from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, bringing together students from across the UK and beyond to engage with current research, debate vital global issues, and experience university-style learning.
AI and Society: Ethics, Society, and Progress
Monday 15 December | 09:30 - 15:00 (UK time) | Online
Artificial intelligence is transforming how we create, communicate, and make decisions - but what does it mean for the future of humanity? In this interdisciplinary day, students explore how technology challenges ethics, law, and culture, engaging with current research from politics, philosophy, and digital humanities.
Keynote Speakers: To be announced soon
£90 per student
£75 per student for school groups (10+)
The Climate Crisis: Environment, Policy, and Action
Tuesday 16 December | 09:30 - 15:00 (UK time) | Online
The climate emergency is one of the defining issues of our time. This conference day examines how researchers and policymakers approach questions of responsibility, justice, and sustainability, combining insights from geography, anthropology, ethics, and environmental policy to explore possible futures.
Keynote Lectures:
‘Money, Power, and the Planet: Elites and Billionaires in the Age of Carbon Inequality and Climate Crisis’ Emma Somos, Oxford
£90 per student
£75 per student for school groups (10+)
Post-Colonial Legacies: Power, Culture, and Thought
Wednesday 17 December | 09:30 - 15:00 (UK time) | Online
How do colonial histories continue to shape global politics, culture, and identity? This interdisciplinary day invites students to engage with ideas from history, literature, philosophy, and development studies to understand the enduring legacies of empire - and the work of decolonisation today.
Keynote Speakers: To be announced soon
£90 per student
£75 per student for school groups (10+)
Geopolitics: Migration, Borders, and Identities
Thursday 18 December | 09:30 - 15:00 (UK time) | Online
Migration is reshaping politics, cultures, and societies worldwide. This conference explores the human, ethical, and political dimensions of movement across borders, drawing on research from sociology, anthropology, history, and international relations.
Keynote Speakers: To be announced soon
£90 per student
£75 per student for school groups (10+)
Geopolitics: Conflict and Peacekeeping
Friday 19 December | 09:30 - 15:00 (UK time) | Online
From the Cold War to contemporary crises, how do states, organisations, and communities navigate conflict and strive for peace? Students will investigate the history, politics, and ethics of war and peacebuilding through lectures and discussion with leading Oxford and Cambridge experts in international relations, law, politics, and history.
Keynote Speakers: To be announced soon
£90 per student
£75 per student for school groups (10+)
Pricing Options
Our Academic Conference Days are open to individual students and school groups. All tickets include access to the full day of keynote lectures, live Q&As, panel discussions, and interactive workshops with Oxbridge academics.
Individual Bookings
Single Day Pass: £90
Or save when you book multiple conference days across the series.
3-Day Multi-Pass: £225 (£75/day)
4-Day Multi-Pass: £300 (£75/day)
Full Series Pass (5 Days): £375 (£75/day)
School Group Bookings
Group Rate (10+ students): £75 per student
Perfect for schools booking multiple pupils across one or more conference days.
For school bookings, contact: info@inquisitas.com
Or fill out our School Bookings Form and we’ll be in touch