IAFOR > The European Conference on Aging (EGen) > EGen2025 Overview

EGen2025 Overview

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Join us in London (and online) for EGen2025!

July 10–14, 2025 | SOAS & University College London, UK

We are very excited to host The 5th European Conference on Aging & Gerontology (EGen2025), the sister conference to The Asian Conference on Aging & Gerontology (AGen), which has been held in Japan since 2015.

IAFOR has joined efforts with The Bartlett Real Estate Institute at UCL, UK, the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) at the University of Michigan, the IAFOR Research Centre at OSIPP, Osaka University, Japan, and academic leaders and thinkers of all disciplines from a wide range of prestigious institutions to host a conference that brings together all disciplines to discuss one of the greatest challenges humanity currently faces: the ageing of the population. Scholars from practically every discipline are welcomed to bring their perspective, as ageing involves almost all aspects of humanities, science and policy. With thematic streams covering many disciplines such as the built environment, frailty, loneliness, the silver economy, and others, EGen2025 will again provide a great opportunity for researchers.

The European Conference on Aging & Gerontology (EGen) is an interdisciplinary conference held alongside The European Conference on Education (ECE), The European Conference on Arts & Humanities (ECAH).

We look forward to meeting you in London and online.

– The EGen2025 Programme Committee

Key Information
  • Location & Venue: Held at SOAS & University College London, UK
  • Dates: Thursday, July 10, 2025 ​to Monday, July 14, 2025
  • Early Bird Abstract Submission Deadline: February 14, 2025*
  • Final Abstract Submission Deadline: April 18, 2025
  • Registration Deadline for Presenters: May 23, 2025

*Submit early to take advantage of the discounted registration rates. Learn more about our registration options.

Submit an Abstract
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Speakers

  • Jun Arima
    Jun Arima
    University of Tokyo, Japan
  • Anne Boddington
    Anne Boddington
    IAFOR, Japan
  • Evangelia Chrysikou
    Evangelia Chrysikou
    University College London, UK
  • Joseph Haldane
    Joseph Haldane
    The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Japan
  • Rana Khalife
    Rana Khalife
    University College London, United Kingdom
  • Melina Neophytou
    Melina Neophytou
    IAFOR, Japan
  • Anne Nortcliffe
    Anne Nortcliffe
    Wrexham University, United Kingdom
  • Tejendra Pherali
    Tejendra Pherali
    University College London, United Kingdom

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Featured Presentations

To be announced

  • Engineering Inclusivity, How?
    Engineering Inclusivity, How?
    Keynote Presentation: Brendan Howe

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Conference Committees

Global Programme Committee

Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR and Osaka University, Japan, & University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Jun Arima, President, IAFOR & University of Tokyo, Japan
Professor Anne Boddington, Executive Vice-President and Provost, IAFOR & Middlesex University, United Kingdom
Professor Barbara Lockee, Virginia Tech, United States
Professor Donald E. Hall, Binghamton University, United States
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
Dr Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan
Professor Dexter Da Silva, Keisen University, Japan
Professor Baden Offord, Centre for Human Rights Education, Curtin University, Australia & Cultural Studies Association of Australasia
Professor Frank S. Ravitch, Michigan State University College of Law, United States
Professor William Baber, Kyoto University, Japan

Members of the IAFOR Board of Directors and The Academic Governing Board are standing members of the Global Programme Committee.

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Conference Programme Committee

Conference Chair

Evangelia Chrysikou
Evangelia Chrysikou
Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction
University College London
United Kingdom

Conference Programme Committee Members

Jane Biddulph, University College London, United Kingdom
Dimitrios Buhalis, Bournemouth University Business School, United Kingdom
Dorina Cadar, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, United Kingdom
Stefano Capolongo, Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy
Carina Dantes, SHINE 2Europe, Portugal
Eddy Davelaar, Birkbeck, University of London, United Kingdom
Isaiah Durosaiye, School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
Joseph Falzon, Centre for Research & Innovation, Malta
Ava Fatah, Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR and Osaka University, Japan, & University College London, United Kingdom (Conference Co-chair)
Paul Higgs, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
Fernando Loizides, School of Computer Science & Informatics, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Elena Petelos, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece & Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Netherlands
Eleftheria Savvopoulou, SynThesis Architects, Greece
Anastasios Tellios, School of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Greg Williams, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

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Conference Review Committee

Dr Vincent Lee, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
Dr Naqeeb Hussain Shah, Kohat University of Science & Technology, Pakistan
Dr Hoang-nam Tran, Tokushima University, Japan
Dr Adi Vitman- Schorr, Tel hai university on the rise, Israel
Dr Lu Wang, Hebei University of Techology, China

IAFOR's peer review process, which involves both reciprocal review and the use of Review Committees, is overseen by the Conference Programme Committee under the guidance of the International Academic Board (IAB). Review Committee members are established academics who hold PhDs or other terminal degrees in their fields and who have previous peer review experience.

If you would like to apply to serve on the EGen2025 Review Committee, please visit our application page.

Apply to Join the Review Committee

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Event Partners

The European Conference on Aging & Gerontology (EGen) is run in partnership with The Bartlett Real Estate Institute at UCL, The National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) at the University of Michigan, USA, and the IAFOR Research Centre at Osaka University.

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Event Supporters

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IAFOR's Conference Themes for 2025-2029

IAFOR Themes 2025-2029
Our selected themes for 2025-2029 bring together ideas and encourage research and synergies in the following areas:

  • Technology and Artificial Intelligence
  • Humanity and Human Intelligence
  • Global Citizenship and Education for Peace
  • Leadership

    • Our four themes can be seen as standalone themes, but they are also very much in conversation with each other. Themes may be seen as corollaries, complementary, or in opposition/juxtaposition with each other. The themes can be considered as widely as possible and are designed, in keeping with our mission, to encourage ideas across the disciplines.

    Jun Arima
    University of Tokyo, Japan

    Biography

    Professor Jun Arima is the President of IAFOR, and the senior academic officer of the organisation. In this role, Professor Arima is the Honorary Chair of the International Academic Advisory Board, as well as both the Academic Governing Board and its Executive Committee. He also sits on the IAFOR Board of Directors.

    Jun Arima was formerly Director General of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), UK from 2011 to 2015 and Special Advisor on Global Environmental Affairs for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan, from 2011 to 2015. He has previously held various international energy/environment-related positions, including: Head of Division, Country Studies, International Energy Agency (IEA); Director, International Affairs Division, Agency of Natural Resources and Energy, METI; and Deputy Director General for Environmental Affairs at METI’s Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau. In the COP (UN Convention on Climate Change) 14, 15 and 16, he was Japanese Chief Negotiator for AWG-KP.

    Since 2015 Jun Arima has been a Professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan, where he teaches Energy Security, International Energy Governance, and Environmental Policies in the Graduate School of Public Policy. (GraSPP). He is also currently a Consulting Fellow at the Japanese Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). He is also Executive Senior Fellow at the 21st Century Public Policy Institute, Principal Researcher at the International Environmental and Economic Institute (IEEI), Distinguished Senior Policy Fellow, at the Asia Pacific Institute of Research (APIR), Senior Policy Fellow on Energy and Environment, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and was the Lead Author, the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC).

    Panel Discussion (2025) | TBA
    Anne Boddington
    IAFOR, Japan

    Biography

    Professor Anne Boddington is Executive Vice-President and Provost of IAFOR, and oversees the academic programs, research and policies of the forum.

    Anne Boddington is Professor Emerita of Design Innovation and has held executive and senior leadership roles in Higher Education including as Dean of Arts & Humanities at the University of Brighton, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, Business & Innovation at Kingston and Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Middlesex University.

    In 2022 she concluded chairing the Sub Panel (32) for Art & Design: History, Practice & Theory as part of the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) and has extensive experience in the governance and conduct of peer review, research evaluation and assessment in REF2014 (Sub Panel Deputy Chair and Equality Diversity Advisory Panel [EDAP]) and RAE2008. A former member of AHRC’s Advisory Board, she is the current Chair of the Advisory Board for the UKRI’s National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) programme (£30M), Deputy Chair and a Trustee of the Design Council, the government’s strategic advisor for design, and a member of both the InnoHK Scientific Committee (Hong Kong) and the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ).

    Since the 1990’s Anne has worked across the UK and internationally with a wide range of quality assurance, professional, statutory, and regulatory bodies in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Hong Kong, and India.

    As an independent consultant she now works as a strategic advisor and mentor and is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in practice, developing effective governance, supporting career development, reducing bureaucracy, and improving organisational design, integrity, and productivity in the changing workplace.

    Evangelia Chrysikou
    University College London, UK

    Biography

    Dr Evangelia Chrysikou is a registered architect and senior research fellow at UCL. She owns the award-winning SynThesis Architects (London – Athens), that specialises in medical facilities. Her work received prestigious awards (Singapore 2009, Kuala Lumpur 2012, Brisbane 2013, Birmingham 2014, London 2014). Parallel activities include teaching at medical and architectural schools, research (UK, France, Belgium, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Greece and the Middle East) and advisory. She advised the Hellenic Secretary of Health and is the author of the new national guidelines for mental health facilities. Dr Chrysikou is the author of the book ‘Architecture for Psychiatric Environments and Therapeutic Spaces’, healthcare architecture editor, reviewer, active member of several professional and scientific associations and a TED-MED speaker. She is a Trustee, Member of the Board and Director of Research at DIMHN (UK) and Member of the Board at the Scholar’s Association Onassis Foundation.

    Previous Presentations

    Featured Interview (2022) | Featured Interview with Miriam Weber, WHO European Healthy Cities Network Chair for Utrecht, Netherlands
    Joseph Haldane
    The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Japan

    Biography

    Joseph Haldane is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of IAFOR. He is responsible for devising strategy, setting policies, forging institutional partnerships, implementing projects, and overseeing the organisation’s international business and academic operations, including research, publications and events.

    Dr Haldane is a founding Co-Director of the IAFOR Research Centre, an interdisciplinary think tank situated at The Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP), Osaka University, where since 2015 he has also been a Guest Professor, teaching on the postgraduate Global Governance Course.

    A Member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network for Global Governance, Professor Haldane’s research and teaching is on history, politics, international affairs and international education, as well as governance and decision making.

    In 2020 Dr Haldane was appointed Honorary Professor of UCL (University College London), through the Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management. He also holds Visiting Professorships in the Faculty of Philology at the University of Belgrade, and at the School of Business at Doshisha University in Kyoto, where he teaches Ethics and Governance on the MBA programme. He is a Member of the International Advisory Council of the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

    Dr Haldane holds a PhD from the University of London in 19th-century French Studies, and has had full-time faculty positions at the University of Paris XII Paris-Est Créteil, Sciences Po Paris, and Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, as well as visiting positions at the French Press Institute in the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas, The School of Journalism at Sciences Po Paris, and the School of Journalism at Moscow State University (Russia).

    Dr Haldane has given invited lectures and presentations to universities and conferences around the world, including at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and advised universities, NGOs and governments on issues relating to international education policy, public-private partnerships, and multi-stakeholder forums. He was the project lead on the 2019 Kansai Resilience Forum, held by the Japanese Government through the Prime Minister’s Office and the Cabinet Office in collaboration with IAFOR.

    From 2012-2014, Dr Haldane served as Treasurer of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (Chubu), and since 2015 he has been a Trustee of the HOPE International Development Agency (Japan). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society in 2012, and the Royal Society of Arts in 2015.

    Rana Khalife
    University College London, United Kingdom

    Biography

    Dr Rana Khalife is a Lecturer in the Department of Biochemical Engineering at University College London (UCL), United Kingdom.. She primarily teaches the Regenerative Medicine minor, covering a broad range of topics including Manufacturing of Cell and Gene Therapy Products, Bioprocessing, Cost Analysis of Therapies, Advanced Materials, and Devices, such as Bioreactors and Microfluidics. Dr Khalife brings over 10 years of research experience in pluripotent stem cell research and cancer research. Her expertise lies in integrating her deep knowledge of biochemistry, metabolism, and molecular biology with advanced stem cell bioprocessing techniques.

    As the Regenerative Medicine Coordinator for the IEP minor within the department, Dr Khalife plays a pivotal role in designing and delivering content for this specialised programme. She also serves as the Programme Director and Admissions Tutor for the Manufacture and Commercialisation of Stem Cell and Gene Therapies MSc, where she oversees curriculum development, student recruitment, and programme management. Additionally, Dr. Khalife is the Chair of Recruitment within the Department of Biochemical Engineering, leading initiatives to attract applicants and promote departmental growth. Throughout her career, Dr Khalife has demonstrated a strong commitment to bridging fundamental research with practical applications, particularly within the rapidly evolving fields of regenerative medicine and bioprocessing.

    Panel Presentation (2025) | Technology and AI in Engineering/STEM Education: Preparing Engineering/STEM Graduates for Global Citizenship and Leadership
    Melina Neophytou
    IAFOR, Japan

    Biography

    Dr Melina Neophytou is the Academic Operations Manager at IAFOR, where she works closely with academics, keynote speakers, and IAFOR partners to shape academic discussions within The Forum, bring conference programmes together, refine scholarship programmes, and build an interdisciplinary and international community. She is leading various projects within IAFOR, notably The Forum discussions and the authoring of Conference Reports and Intelligence Briefings, and she oversees the Global Fellows Programme.

    Born in Germany and raised in Cyprus, Dr Neophytou received her PhD in International Development from Nagoya University, Japan, in 2023, specialising in political sociology, the welfare state, and contentious politics. She received an MA in International Development from Nagoya University, with a focus on Governance & Law, and a BA in European Studies from the University of Cyprus, Cyprus.

    Forum Discussion (2025) | TBA
    Anne Nortcliffe
    Wrexham University, United Kingdom

    Biography

    Professor Anne Nortcliffe is the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Computing and Engineering, Professor of Inclusive Engineering and Technology, and a member of the University Senior Leadership Team at Wrexham University, United Kingdom. Prior to her joining Wrexham University, Professor Nortcliffe was the Founding Head of Engineering, Technology and Design, a new equity, inclusive, and diverse engineering higher education provision at Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom. She has 30 years of experience in educating the next generation of engineering, technology, and design graduates for industry. Professor Nortcliffe is an experienced and internationally published researcher and developer of engineering and computing education. She passionately works with colleagues and students to develop good practice inclusive engineering and computing education. In 2022, she received the Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Award in the Contribution to Gender Diversity category and was awarded Executive Leader of the Year at the Engineering Talent Awards in 2021.

    Keynote Presentation (2025) | Engineering Inclusivity, How?
    Tejendra Pherali
    University College London, United Kingdom

    Biography

    Tejendra Pherali is a Professor of Education, Conflict and Peace at University College London (UCL), United Kingdom. He developed the pioneering MA programme in Conflict, Emergencies and Peace at UCL, which provides advanced academic training to postgraduate students from around the globe. Currently, he co-directs the university’s Education Research in Conflict and Crisis (ERICC), a global research and learning partnership that strives to transform education policy and practise in conflict and protracted crisis around the world, through building a global hub for rigorous, context-relevant, and actionable evidence base. Professor Pherali served as the Chair of the British Association for International and Comparative Education (BAICE), and the Chair of the Editorial Board of Compare Journal. He is also the founding Editor of Education and Conflict Review, an open access peer-reviewed journal, and the author of Conflict, Education and Peace in Nepal (Bloomsbury, 2022) and co-author of Laboratories of Learning: Social Movements, Education and Knowledge-Making in the Global South (Pluto Press, 2024). Professor Pherali is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom.

    Keynote Presentation (2025) | Politics of Education in Conflict and Protracted-Crisis Situations
    Engineering Inclusivity, How?
    Keynote Presentation: Brendan Howe

    In 2017, an innovative and inclusive higher education provision in engineering, design, and technology was strategically conceived, designed, implemented, and operated at Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom. In 2018, the first cohort of BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering students were welcomed to the programme, who graduated in 2022. This was followed by the inaugural cohorts of BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering, BEng (Hons) Biomedical Engineering, and BEng (Hons) Product Design Engineering, who completed their programs in 2023.

    This keynote will share the journey led by Professor Anne Nortcliffe and her team, highlighting how equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) research theory has been intricately woven into every aspect of the initiative — from building a diverse talent pipeline from primary to higher education, embedding EDI in the engineering curriculum and student experience, to fostering inclusive practises in collaboration with industry partners to support research, innovation, knowledge exchange, and graduate employment.

    The session will conclude by reflecting on key lessons learned, offering valuable insights for educational practitioners seeking to design and implement EDI innovations that enhance student learning experiences, support social justice, and promote future graduate success.

    Read presenter's biography