Verto Education invites student submissions to the Fall 2026 Global Student Symposium. The Symposium gives participants across all Verto locations a formal venue to present original work developed inside or outside of their coursework with a focus on: research, creative work, community engagement, or an entrepreneurial idea.
Each submission is built around three questions: what did you explore, why did the work matter, and how did the experience change your thinking? The goal is to connect your program experiences in and out of the classroom to real world stories, challenges, issues, and solutions.
The Fall 2026 Global Student Symposium call for submissions opens September 21 and closes October 9. Review the categories below and prepare a submission around a specific question or focus, not a general topic. See the Submission Details section below for more information.
The Global Symposium is part of Verto Education’s ongoing commitment to provide hands-on opportunities for students to enhance academic excellence and showcase student learning abroad in action.
Submission Categories
Submissions fall under one of four categories.
- Community & Culture: Projects examining a community, tradition, or cultural practice, through direct engagement rather than secondhand research.
- Example: A student volunteering in Florence, Italy documents how a non-profit organization adapts services for a growing immigrant population, and reflects on what the work revealed about migration policy in the surrounding community.
- Research & Discovery: Research projects with a defined question, method, and finding.
- Example: A student co-founder of the Finance Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina presents ethnographic research on attitudes towards money saving and investing.
- Creativity & Expression: Original creative work such as visual art, writing, film, or music, paired with a statement on the creative choices behind the work.
- Example: A student in Seville, Spain presents a short documentary featuring interviews with their homestay family to highlight cultural nuances involving sharing meals and “la sobremesa”.
- Innovation & Impact: Entrepreneurial ventures or applied projects addressing a specific problem.
- Example: A student in London, England pitches an app for first year college school students to build their daily schedule and manage their time effectively, presenting a working prototype and data from a small pilot group.
Recognition and Benefits
Students who participate in the Global Symposium will further prepare for their post-Verto institution in a multitude of ways, including:
- Enhance confidence in presentation skills
- Demonstrate critical thinking
- Increase social network
- Strengthen college portfolio for future applications, interviews, and résumés
Student work may also be featured on Verto’s official social media channels with thousands of followers. Every presenter receives a Certificate of Participation and a distinction added to your Co-Curricular Transcript. Importantly, your work will also contribute to your intellectual identity, and that of your Verto location and cohort.
Submission Details
The call for submissions opens September 21, and closes October 9, at the following link: https://bit.ly/vertosymposium
The submission process entails a written summary of the project, its significance and context, and overview of any work to be completed before the Symposium to finalize the project. The project does not have to be finished at the time of submission. Students select the format best suited to their submission: a research poster, a short film, a brief live talk, or another format appropriate to the work. Spaces are limited for each format, so submit your proposal early!
Each Verto site hosts their unique symposium during the week of November 9-13, where accepted presenters share their work with peers and faculty.
Students are encouraged to make a submission, regardless of year, major, or prior presenting experience. On-Site program teams will share submission instructions. Students can also check out their local Verto View for more information.
What Distinguishes a Competitive Submission
A competitive submission goes beyond describing an assignment to show meaningful inquiry, learning, or discovery. It presents a clear idea or question, makes a meaningful connection within or beyond the classroom, and has the potential to become an engaging presentation.
Who can students contact for more information?
Keep your eye on the Verto View newsletter for local informational sessions and Symposium mentorship opportunities. Reach out to your on-site team for more guidance on the Symposium!
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We look forward to receiving your submissions!
