Adam Smith Business School

The BCUR26 conference theme, aligned with LTA[X], is designed to foster a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking community of undergraduate researchers. It seeks to support interdisciplinary thinking and inclusivity by encouraging the exchange of ideas across diverse fields, and to promote critical thinking by framing the conference as an open conversation rather than a one-way presentation.

BCUR26 also aims to empower student voices, positioning undergraduates not merely as learners but as active contributors to academic and societal discourse. Through this, participants are encouraged to develop future-focused skills and pathways by engaging deeply with their research and reflecting on its broader impact.

Finally, the conference will connect research to real-world challenges, grounding inquiry in pressing global and civic issues while highlighting shared values such as sustainability, responsibility, and community engagement.

Suggested topics

All topics across disciplines, with broad interpretations are welcome. Below are some suggested topics, which are not exhaustive. We strongly encourage innovative and original approach with proposals on topics including (but not limited to):

• Sustainable futures
• Sustainable development goals
• Inclusivity
• Artificial intelligence
• Moral sentiments, ethics and society
• Adam Smith’s work and thought
• Decolonisation and/or reparative justice
• Health and wellbeing
• Economic justice
• Historical perspectives
• Creative practices and industries
• Human flourishing and happiness

Participating in BCUR26 offers an exceptional opportunity to build your research profile and CV by sharing your findings with an engaged audience, strengthening your academic portfolio, and demonstrating your commitment to scholarly work.

You can also develop your presentation and communication skills through our dedicated training programme, helping you present your work with confidence and clarity as well as disseminate your research.

BCUR26 provides a unique chance to network across disciplines, connecting with peers from across the UK and beyond, as well as academics and external guests from a wide range of fields and sectors.

The conference offers a vibrant space to explore, learn, and share, a place where you can gain fresh insights into diverse academic areas, exchange ideas across disciplines, and find inspiration for future research and collaboration. It’s an opportunity to connect your work with a broader academic community and discover new perspectives that enrich your own research journey.

Finally, BCUR26 champions multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking, encouraging you to situate your research within wider contexts and to communicate its significance in ways that engage and inspire non-specialist audiences.

Open to all UK and international undergraduates, as well as students who graduated last year, provided the research being presented was conducted while they were undergraduates. Participants may present their original research to an audience of peers, academics, and external guests, including industry professionals and community representatives. Whether you work in the sciences, arts and humanities, social sciences, engineering, or any other academic field, BCUR offers a unique platform to showcase your ideas and contribute to the wider academic community.

We are accepting submissions in three formats:

Oral presentations

These are 10-minute presentation of your original research followed by 5 minutes for questions from the audience. You are welcome to use slides during your presentation, but this is not compulsory. Speakers will be grouped into themed sessions moderated by a chairperson.

Posters

Posters will be displayed in our exhibition halls, with allocated time slots for authors to discuss their work with conference attendees.

Creative submissions

This is a 10-minute creative or artistic expression of your research. Creative formats can include but are not limited to creative writing, music, dance, discussion or artworks created by the student, short films, excerpts from plays, etc. This format can also include reflections on creative practice (e.g. as a director, artist, poet). Performances can be live or pre-recorded and played at the conference and will be followed by 5 minutes of questions.

We will support all participants to prepare and present in the conference confidently. We will also provide guidance on dissemination of your work.

Before submission

Online information session: A webinar on how to apply to the conference, including advice on writing an abstract for your application and guidance on multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary presentations.

For accepted submissions

Presentation guidance series: A series of three webinars providing detailed guidance on the technical specifications for the submission formats, presenting to multidisciplinary audience, and presenting with confidence.

After the conference

Reflective Writing Workshop

A workshop on reflective writing allowing participants to critically reflect on their experience and identify how they will utilise their skills and experiences in their future work.

Dissemination Workshop

A workshop discussing various avenues of dissemination of academic material and how participants can increase the visibility of their research beyond traditional academic publishing.

We welcome abstracts of up to 250 words that are both accessible and academically rigorous, striking a balance between technical detail and clarity to engage audiences across disciplinary boundaries. Although templates for abstract structure may vary, effective submissions generally include:

• A clear and descriptive title.
• A concise overview of research background and aims.
• Methodological approach.
• Key findings or anticipated outcomes.
• Significance or broader implications of findings.

The abstract submission deadline is 11:59PM (UK time) on Friday, 9 January 2026.

All submissions undergo review, with successful applicants invited to present at the conference.

For guidance on writing a strong abstract visit: Coming soon

Submission Link

Submit your abstract online: 

Oxford Abstracts online portal

This guide will show you how to put together a professional and eye-catching abstract of no more than 250 words for the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR).

Once you have read through the guide, you can submit your abstract:

Oxford Abstracts

What is the purpose of an abstract?

Your abstract serves two important purposes:

1. the conference selection committee reviews submitted abstracts to decide who will present
2. the abstracts are published in the conference programme so that the audience can decide what they would like to see.

Selection criteria

The conference selection committee reviews a set of criteria when reviewing the abstracts proposals. Successful abstracts should:

1. Follow a clear abstract structure. Strong abstracts include a clear and descriptive title, a concise overview of the research background and aims, an outline of your methodological or creative approach, your key findings or anticipated outcomes, and the broader significance of your work.
   • Begin by setting up the problem by introducing your primary research question, provide context, and explain why the issue merits investigation. Then summarise your research approach, describing how you addressed the question and highlighting your main results. If your research is still in progress, explain what you expect to find or what related studies have suggested. Conclude by explaining what your results mean for your topic and for your discipline more widely, noting any real-world applications or future research directions. Even if you do not yet have final results, describe how your findings could help answer your research question and why your work is valuable and interesting.
2. Present original research. Your abstract should be based on an investigation of a research question, rather than simply summarising material learned in class. For most applicants, this will come from a dissertation, project or independent research. Your work does not need to be fully complete at the time of submission—if you clearly outline your aims and the outcomes you expect by the conference, your abstract will still be considered. Creative and poster submissions must also represent original work (for example, not a direct copy of an existing performance, artwork, or poster).
3. Be of interest to a multidisciplinary audience. The BCUR audience is comprised of students and staff from across all academic subjects, and members of the public are also invited along. Your research is likely to be on a very small and focused area of your degree field, so it is important that you think about how you will make it your topic interesting to people studying and working in completely different subjects to yours.
4. Be accessible to no-specialist. Because of the nature of the conference and its audience, it is important that everyone can understand your presentation, without it becoming oversimplified. Think about the language that you use in your abstract and imagine that you are explaining your subject to a student in the same year of a completely different degree course to yours. For instance, if your work involves scanning electron microscopy, think about how you would explain this to someone studying English Literature. Similarly, if you are working on transnational literature, consider how to present this to an audience that may include Chemistry students. The same principle applies to poster and creative submissions.

Keeping these criteria in mind as you write will help you create a strong and compelling abstract. You may also find it useful to look at examples from previous BCUR conferences.

Tips for writing your abstract

Plan the structure

• Begin by outlining your abstract using the structure above and listing your key points.
• Make sure you include the essentials: why your research matters and what your main takeaway or ‘headline’ conclusion is.
• Check that your ideas flow logically. Each point should follow naturally from the previous one—avoid any leaps that might confuse someone outside your subject area.
• Remove anything unnecessary at this planning stage. Keeping only crucial information will help prevent a rambling abstract later.

Write a draft

• Your first draft will be exactly that—a draft—so concentrate more on getting your points down on the page at this point. Follow your planned structure and don't over-analyse your word choice at this point.
• Think of a snappy title for your abstract. Make sure it will stand out while remaining professional. A concise and descriptive title is far better than a humorous title that doesn't clearly indicate the focus of your submission.

Review and edit your draft

• Concision is essential. If you exceed the 250-word limit, begin by cutting non-essential words or details, then refine your sentences to ensure clarity and precision.
• Carefully check spelling, punctuation and grammar.
• Consider whether a non-specialist would understand your abstract. Avoid unnecessary jargon and make your message clear, accessible and engaging. You might also ask someone from a different subject area to read it to see if they can understand your main points.
• If possible, seek feedback from a lecturer or supervisor. They understand your research area and likely have experience writing successful conference abstracts themselves.

Final checks

Align your abstract closely with the selection criteria, and make sure it clearly communicates why your research matters. Keep your message sharp and focused – avoid unnecessary detail so that your key points stand out. Remember that your tone shapes how your work is perceived: while some subject-specific terminology may be needed, too much jargon can make your abstract difficult for non-specialists to understand. Aim for a balance between accuracy and accessibility, and ensure your writing is polished, with careful attention to spelling, punctuation and grammar. Finally, write with confidence – as the researcher, you are the expert on your topic.

Support

If you have any questions, we will be hosting an online information session via Zoom (see the BCUR26 website for details). After the session, you can contact us at bcur26@glasgow.ac.uk. 

We look forward to receiving your applications!