The Three Worlds of Physical Literacy in Action

The International Joint Research Center for University Physical Education and Sports Training (CUPEST) is a highly influential international cooperation and research platform in the field of global higher physical education. It is dedicated to integrating high-quality physical education resources worldwide, promoting cross-border academic exchanges and practical innovations, and has played an active role in advancing the discipline construction of physical education on higher education in China and abroad as well as related research and practices on physical literacy and human health. To further gather international wisdom and focus on the cutting-edge issues in the field of physical literacy, CUPEST, in collaboration with the International Physical Literacy Association (IPLA) and the International Federation for Sport Education and Physical Activity for Health (FIEPS), is jointly organizing the 2026 CUPEST Academic Conference. The event will be co-hosted by the University of Lancashire and Hunan Normal University and will take place in Manchester, UK, from October 19th to 23rd, 2026.

The conference is themed “The Three Worlds of Physical Literacy in Action - Practical Paths of Physical Literacy”, responding to the current global public health challenges such as the increasing sedentary lifestyle and the younger onset of chronic diseases. It reflects the contemporary demand for a shift in sports from being performance-oriented to promoting the development of all humanity. The venue of the conference, Manchester, is known as the “Sports Capital” and is an important birthplace of world football culture. It has top football clubs such as Manchester United and Manchester City. Its profound sports cultural tradition and practical experience perfectly align with the theme of this conference. This conference represents a coordinated global dialogue shaping the future of Physical Education, bringing together leading international organisations including EUPEA, CEREPS, AIESEP, WPEA, IPLA and FIEPS to strengthen collaboration, research exchange and policy influence.

This conference sincerely invites experts, scholars, university teachers, graduate students, and practitioners from the fields of physical education, sports training, human health promotion to attend. Gathering in Manchester, UK, to exchange the latest research results, deepen academic discussions, expand international cooperation, explore the future development direction in the field of physical literacy, and jointly celebrate this grand event!

Ⅰ. Basic Conference Information

The theme of this conference is “The Three Worlds of Physical Literacy - Practical Paths to Physical Literacy”. The conference accepts theoretical and conceptual studies, empirical research, case studies, technical studies supporting physical literacy practices, and mechanism studies related to physical literacy practices. We sincerely invite submissions from the following research fields:

1.Sports (The Sporting landscape of physical literacy practice): Sports can serve as a core mechanism to enhance physical literacy. It is the core scenario for physical literacy to transform from “theoretical cognition” to “ability application”. Research can cover children to adults, communities to careers, leisure activities to elite levels, and achieve the full-cycle practice of “cultivation-application-advancement” of physical literacy.

2.Physical Education (Physical education and physical activity at all educational levels within and in addition to curricula time): Physical education serves as the core channel for the “systematic and standardized cultivation” of physical literacy, facilitating the establishment of a complete cultivation system for physical literacy, which encompasses “cognition, skills, and habits”. Research can cover physical education courses or extracurricular sports activities throughout the entire educational stage from preschool to higher education.

3.Health Promotion and Physical Activity (The health and wellbeing sector’s potential and role in supporting Physical Literacy Practice): Physical activity and health promotion are the key paths for achieving the goal of “breaking through the limitations of scenarios and covering the entire population” in terms of physical literacy. Research can cover related fields such as health and wellbeing industries, exercise, and physical activities.

Ⅱ. Conference Schedule

Date

Activities

Oct 19th

Registration, Opening Ceremony, Keynote Speeches, PL Workshop, Deans’ Seminar, Welcome dinner

Oct 20th

Keynote Speeches, Parallel Session Presentations, Poster Presentation, PL Workshop

Oct 21th

Keynote Speeches, Parallel Session Presentations, Poster Presentation, PL Workshop, Premier league football match (subject to fixture schedules)

Oct 22th

Academic Exchanges at UK Middle Schools and the University of Lancashire (Preston Campus)

Oct 23th

Academic Exchange at the University of Lancashire (London Campus), Departure

Ⅲ. Requirements for Abstract Submission

1. Submission method: Submit via CUPEST official email (JRC2024@126.com)

2. Submission deadline for the abstract:

June 6th, 2026(Saturday), 11:00 p.m.— China Beijing Time (CST)

June 6, 2026 (Saturday), 7:00 a.m. — US Pacific Standard Time (PST)

June 6, 2026 (Saturday), 3:00 p.m. — UK Time (GMT/BST)

  1. Format Requirements: Please use the attached “Abstract Template for the 2026 CUPEST Academic Annual Conference” to fill in the corresponding information and then send the complete attachment to the official email of CUPEST.

  2. Announcements：If multiple abstracts are submitted with the same first author, only one abstract will be reviewed. The first author must attend the conference as the presenter. In special circumstances where the first author is unable to attend and present, the conference organizing committee must be notified promptly, and a co-author should be arranged to attend and present.

    Ⅳ. Conference Fees and Payment

    Please pay attention to the official website of CUPEST (https://cupest.hunnu.edu.cn/) and the official WeChat public account of the School of Physical Education of Hunan Normal University for the subsequent notice of the second round of the conference.

    Ⅴ. Contact Information

    Conference Inquiries and Abstract Submission: JRC2024@126.com


Attachment:

2026 CUPEST Academic Annual Conference

Abstract Template

Ⅰ.Topic Information

Research field: ( )

1. Sports Practice Research; 2. Sports Education Research; 3. Physical Activity and Health Promotion; 4. Research on Technologies for Promoting Physical Literacy; 5. Research on Mechanisms for Promoting Physical Literacy

Ⅱ. Information of the First Author

Name:

Affiliation:

Diploma:

Title/Position:

Ⅲ. Preferred Presentation Types: ( )

1.Oral Presentation      2. Poster

Ⅳ.Abstract (200 words)

Title

Author names & Affiliation

Background:

Objective:

Methods:

Results/Conclusions:




 Attachment-Call for Papers for the 2026 CUPEST Academic Annual Conference.docx