Call For Papers
ETDs in the age of AI
Exploring how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the creation, management, discovery, and integrity of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs).
The Program Committee of the 29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations, ETD-2026, invites submissions on, but not limited to, the theme “ETDs in the age of AI” and sub-themes as below.
We invite submissions that explore innovations, challenges, and future directions for ETDs in the era of Artificial Intelligence. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
We invite submissions that explore innovations, challenges, and future directions for ETDs in the era of Artificial Intelligence. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Thematic Tracks
10 tracks · click to expand02
The Evolving ETD Lifecycle
4 topics
End-to-end lifecycle: submission, curation & reuse
AI in ETD lifecycle management & repository workflows
Automation in formatting, validation & compliance
Integration of research data, code & supplementary materials
03
AI in Thesis Creation & Scholarly Writing
4 topics
Generative AI in thesis & dissertation writing
AI-assisted literature review, structuring & translation
Human–AI collaboration in research & academic writing
Implications for doctoral education & research training
04
AI-Enhanced Metadata, Discovery & Access
4 topics
AI-enhanced metadata generation & semantic enrichment
AI-driven search, discovery & recommendation systems
Multilingual access, translation & knowledge extraction
Knowledge graphs, topic modelling & automated summarization
05
Analytics, Metrics & Research Impact
4 topics
AI-enabled analytics & impact assessment for ETDs
Citation analysis, usage statistics & Altmetrics
Research trend detection & topic evolution mapping
Societal, policy & innovation impact of dissertations
06
Ethical, Legal & Responsible AI in ETDs
5 topics
Responsible & ethical AI in ETD ecosystems
Academic integrity, authorship & AI-generated content
Bias, transparency & explainability in AI systems
Copyright, licensing & intellectual property
Policies, governance & institutional frameworks for AI
07
Innovative, Dynamic & Interactive ETDs
4 topics
Augmented, dynamic & interactive ETDs beyond PDF
Executable theses with embedded data, code & simulations
Multimedia, 3D, VR/AR & immersive scholarly works
Living documents & continuously updated dissertations
08
ETD Consortia, Institutions & Support Systems
5 topics
ETD consortia & global networks (e.g., NDLTD)
National & regional ETD platforms (e.g., Shodhganga)
Professional associations (e.g., USETDA, INFLIBNET)
Library consortia & shared infrastructure
Professional capacity building & global community engagement
09
Policy, Standards & Governance for the Global ETD Ecosystem
5 topics
National & institutional ETD policies & mandates
Standards for metadata, accessibility & preservation
Governance models for AI integration in ETD systems
Cross-border collaboration & shared frameworks
Quality assurance, compliance & accreditation
10
The Future of ETDs in the Age of AI
4 topics
The evolving role of AI in shaping the future of ETDs
AI, open science & open repository ecosystems
Equity, inclusion & global access in AI-powered systems
Changing roles of librarians, technologists & institutions
How to Contribute
Submission Categories
ETD-2026 invites contributions across categories that explore innovation, research, policy, and practice in the evolving landscape of ETDs, especially in the context of AI and emerging technologies.
Full Papers
Insight Papers
Mature research, evaluated case studies, or implemented systems advancing ETD practice, policy, technology, or AI integration.
15 min presentation + Q&A
Experiential / Work-in-Progress
Innovative Lab Papers
Emerging ideas, pilot projects, AI experiments, prototypes, and early findings that spark discussion about the future of ETDs.
15 min presentation + Q&A
Lightning Talks
Flash Talks
High-energy micro-presentations sharing one focused idea, tool, challenge, or innovation in ETDs.
7 min · no formal Q&A
Poster Presentations
Visual Stories
Visually engaging presentations of research, workflows, platforms, or concepts for interactive discussion and networking. Posters will be presented at the designated poster venue, where the jury will visit each poster during the assigned session.
Dedicated poster session
Panel Discussion
Dialogue Forums
Moderated discussions bringing together diverse perspectives on policy, ethics, AI disruption, scholarly communication, and the global ETD ecosystem.
60 min panel + audience Q&A
Live Collaborative Library Innovation Challenge
Ideathon
A team-based challenge where a practical library problem is revealed live at the conference. Teams collaborate on-site to design and develop a prototype or solution, encouraging cross-disciplinary participation among librarians, technologists, researchers, students, and solution providers. A dedicated workspace and required time slot are provided.
5 min team presentation