FAQs - Academic Convention 2023

The IAPSS Academic Convention is one of the conferences hosted by IAPSS – the International Association for Political Science Students. We expect over 100 students from around the world to join us in our first event in Ecuador since 2017, concentrating on the theme “State Responsibility: Fourth Industrial Revolution, Sustainability and Good Governance”. For more information on the theme, click here.

The Academic Convention will take place at Universidad Hemisferios, located in Quito, Ecuador. It will take place from November 16th to 18th, 2023.

In order to register for the event, an active and valid IAPSS membership is required. Make sure this step is complete, and then you will be able to purchase a ticket to the event through the IAPSS webstore. You have to create a website account before you can purchase your membership. If you are experiencing issues with this, email ac23@iapss.org.

Attendance is exclusively in-person.

In order to attend the IAPSS Academic Convention, you need to:

Become an IAPSS Member. Prices range from 4 to 19 USD – check your eligibility here. Be sure to create a website account to be able to purchase a membership.

Get your Early Bird ticket by September 30th, 2023, here.

The regular tickets are available starting on October 1st, 2023.

The Academic Convention registration fee is based on a participant’s country of residence. Citizens of Low and Lower-Middle Income Economies have access to reduced fees to attend the 2023 Academic Convention.

Find important information about the event on the Convention’s main page. Make sure to check the page frequently for updates, including the event schedule and agenda, which will be posted closer to the event date.

While there will be student panels in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, the opening and closing ceremonies, the keynote speech, and expert panels will all be held in English.

Volunteers are a critical part of ensuring a smooth and successful conference, and if you want to volunteer but not present your research, we waive the full cost of your ticket. If you are interested in volunteering opportunities at the 2023 Academic Convention, please apply to be a volunteer here.

Ticket prices are listed on this page. Ticket prices vary depending on your group (Group 1 & 2 or Group 3), which is determined by your country of residence. Countries are classified into groups based on their Gross National Income as determined by the World Bank. For more information on how this works, please see this page.

Yes, if you would like to take advantage of the early bird registration special, please register before October 5th, 2023.

Participants who have a role in the program must register and pay the fees by November 1st, 2023. Participants who will simply attend and do not take part in the Convention program can register either in advance, via the IAPSS website, or on-site, during the Convention.

Purchase tickets for the Academic Convention here.

If you can no longer attend the conference, please get in touch with us at ac23@iapss.org. Refunds are possible until October 1st, 2023 (23:59 EST).

Attendees are expected to cover the cost of food, travel, lodging, and any extraneous expenses incurred from their travel.

IAPSS will offer six scholarships: For four participants, the ticket fee will be waived, and for two more, a $200 voucher will be awarded. The scholarship form is here.

If you are looking for more opportunities to apply for scholarships, please check your university’s webpage, as most universities offer scholarships for their students to participate in academic conferences.

Absolutely! Students do not need to have submitted an abstract to attend the Academic Convention as an observer. Tickets will be offered at a reduced price for observers.

All participants and attendees must have an active IAPSS membership by the time of registration. You cannot attend or participate in the Academic Convention without an IAPSS membership. To become an IAPSS member, please see this page.

We accept abstracts in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Abstracts can be submitted on this page.

The extended deadline to submit an abstract is September 3, 2023.

Yes, there is no restriction to paper submission. IAPSS will not claim any right to your paper or draft that you present during the Convention.

No. The Convention is fully in-person.

Acceptances and rejections will be released on a rolling basis after the deadline for submission has passed. If you haven’t heard back by the end of August, reach out to academic@iapss.org, or check your spam folder.

Yes, it is possible to present a paper with co-authors. However, each author needs their own IAPSS membership and ticket to attend the Convention.

The deadline to submit your paper is October 20, 2023. Further information on paper submission requirements can be found here.

Please contact ac23@iapss.org for a copy of your acceptance letter.

Yes! Serving as a panel chair and/or discussant is an opportunity to enhance your academic experience, and these positions are crucial for the best reciprocal outcome of the conference, as you will be giving our panelists valuable feedback on their work. You will also gain experience in reviewing papers as well as being part of an academic panel. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please apply to be a panelist at this form here.

As a panel chair, you are expected to:

• Read the papers in your panel carefully and prepare thoughtful questions.
• Start and keep your panel on time.
• Take and manage questions from the audience directed to panelists.
• Keep audience questions on the topic.

As a discussant, you are expected to:

• Carefully read the papers that you are assigned and be prepared to discuss their contributions, strengths and weaknesses.
• Be prepared to discuss your reactions to the papers and why, answering such questions as what the author can improve.
• Be prepared to stimulate conversation among the audience by posing questions for discussion.

The Convention is not just an academic conference but also an opportunity for students to learn more about current issues in political science, meet renowned professors, and explore various career options available to political science graduates. The event is also a great venue for socializing and networking. On the second day of the Convention, IAPSS and UHE are hosting a Networking Fair with representatives from the private and public sectors.

No, but you are free to request which day you present. We cannot, however, guarantee the negotiated date.

Yes. Attendees are expected to cover the cost of food, travel, lodging, and any extraneous expenses incurred from their travel. There are limited scholarships available that will subsidize a portion of your travel.

Visa requirements vary depending on the country of origin. Please find a detailed list of visa requirements on the Ecuadorian government websites here and here.

Please send an email to ac23@iapss.org as early as possible.

For those who wish to attend as an observer or volunteer without presenting, we ask that you purchase a ticket before we issue a visa letter. If your visa request gets rejected, then we can issue a full refund of your ticket.

If you have specific needs, please reach out to ac23@iapss.org.