Western to host more than 8,000 scholars in London

OTTAWA, ON, May 16, 2018 – Western University has been selected to host the 2020 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, the country’s largest multidisciplinary gathering of academic scholars in the humanities and social sciences.

The conference, which will run from May 30 to June 5, 2020, is also expected to be the largest ever held in London. In all, organizers expect more than 8,000 attendees to visit the city over the seven-day event.

Gabriel Miller, Executive Director of the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, made the announcement at Western this morning.

“We look ahead with great excitement to organizing Congress 2020 in partnership with Western University,” said Miller. “Congress is a tremendously exciting event each year, drawing talent from a wide array of disciplines from across the country to share and discuss ideas about shaping the Canada of the future, enriching both the research community and the local community where it takes place.”

For nearly 90 years, Congress has brought together more than 70 scholarly organizations who hold their annual conferences under a common banner. It’s an opportunity for academics, researchers, policy-makers and practitioners to share findings, refine ideas and build partnerships that focus on Canada’s future.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for us to not only show off our university and our city, but to highlight the important work our faculty members and partners are conducting across a variety of disciplines,” says John Capone, Western’s Vice-President (Research). “The importance of scholarship in the arts, humanities and social sciences can’t be understated, as it relates to everything we do, experience and feel, including how we understand the world around us, build communities and advance culture.”

Western last hosted Congress in 2005.

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Media contacts:

Jeff Renaud, Senior Media Relations Officer, 519-661-2111, ext. 85165, 519-520-7281 (mobile), jrenaud9@uwo.ca

Nicola Katz, Manager of Communications, 613-238-6112 x351, 613-282-3489 (mobile), nkatz@ideas-idees.ca

About Western University

Western delivers an academic experience second to none. Since 1878, The Western Experience has combined academic excellence with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social and cultural growth in order to better serve our communities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western attracts individuals with a broad worldview, seeking to study, influence and lead in the international community. Visit www.uwo.ca

About the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

The Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences promotes research and teaching for the advancement of an inclusive, democratic and prosperous society. With a membership now comprising over 160 universities, colleges and scholarly associations, the Federation represents a diverse community of 91,000 researchers and graduate students across Canada. The Federation organizes Canada’s largest academic gathering, the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, bringing together more than 8,000 participants each year. For more information about the Federation, visit www.ideas-idees.ca.