Dear students!

The pre-conference training, sponsored by the International Academy for Intercultural Research (IAIR) and the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP), is open to PhD and Master level students who are interested in the intersection of culture and psychology.

The pre-conference training provides a research-intensive and interactive experience for participants from various universities to learn from one another and to receive specialized training from experts in different fields that incorporate culture in their study of psychology.
The pre-conference training precedes the IAIR & IACCP joint conference, June 28th – July 1st 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (https://www.intercultural-academy.net/iair-iaccp2025).

IAIR & IACCP pre-conference training focuses on community engaged scholarship and supports the development of broad research skills, international collaborations, effective grant proposal writing, and preparation of scholarly manuscripts. Our goal is to stimulate networking and interactions with peers and instructors in a safe and productive environment. We also aim to emphasize the importance of the applied character of research and the necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration.

The program

Please choose two content streams from the three listed below. Each stream will run for one full day of instruction. Please note that all streams will be in-person.

 STREAM 1 - Equivalence and Bias: Designing Culture-comparative Studies
The best way to prevent bias is by designing studies well. To learn more about this, we will go through ten of the most common issues in
designing, administrating, analyzing and interpreting studies and their data, also covering the role of mixed-methods approaches. We will cover
various approaches to the study of culture, including some controversial topics such as the definitions of culture (What is culture/not culture?
Where does culture come from? What creates cultural differences?), data selection (Which participants should we choose? Which items work?),
levels of analysis (individuals and societies), etic versus emic approaches (one single tool, specific research tools per context), and showcase
specific issues like test adaptation (with practical, interactive elements) . We will also go through an accessible template to understand the
principle of how you can test for bias and equivalence yourself – without prior knowledge in this area.
Led by Prof. Michael Bender (Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands)

STREAM 2 - Methodology and Research Design with a Qualitative Focus
You will be able to recognize when qualitative methods are needed, and how
they are uniquely able to provide insights and in-depth understanding about the range of variability in human experience. You will understand the purpose of several modes of qualitative inquiry by learning the difference between narratives, case studies, phenomenology, ethnography, & grounded theory. Hands-on experience will be obtained with five research tools (e.g., field observations, digital ethnography, interviews, focus groups, content analysis). Discussion will include ethical issues, the role of researcher identity, positionality, and power dynamics in cross-cultural research. Ultimately, you will be engaged in learning how to generate meaning from qualitative data collected.
Led by Dr. Tatiana Basáñez (California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, United States)

STREAM 3 - Rethinking Research and Meta-Research: The Interconnectedness of Cultural, Social, and Ecological Systems as a Foundation for More Holistic Approaches to Understanding Intercultural Dynamics
This session will explore prevailing patterns and theoretical approaches in research concerning culture and psychology, as well as intercultural relations. We will particularly focus on opportunities and challenges faced by researchers in the majority world. Key points include identifying how perspectives from the majority world can enrich the field (Uskul et al., 2024), discussing strategies to bridge conversations between the mostly WEIRD (Henrich et al., 2010) literature and majority world perspectives, and considering how to utilize writing and publication processes to enhance understanding of global intercultural dynamics. Hands-on exercises will allow participants to put these discussions into practice.
Led by Prof. Melody Chao (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China)

Note: You will also be encouraged to do some preparatory work before the course. The stream leaders will provide reading lists and specific tasks for you to realize before the Preconference training. 

Admission
Applicants will need to submit:

1. a (maximum 250-word) cover letter of intent that explains why the student wishes to join the Preconference training, and
2. the student’s curriculum vitae.

These documents will be submitted with a completed online application no later than 1st May, 2025.
A decision letter will be emailed by May 15h, 2025. Accepted applicants must pay a registration fee and agree to join the IACCP conference. Online registration and payment must be made by 30th May, 2025.

Costs

• In-person Streams USD $250 for student members from mid-to high- income countries
• USD $190 for student members from low-income countries.

Attendees who are not members of IACCP or IAIR will add $50, unless registration for membership is completed one month prior to the congress early bird registration.

The Calendar

Accommodation

● Accommodation dates: 25th (check-in) to the 27th (check-out) after a day of sessions.
● Accommodation location: YHA Brisbane– 392 Upper Roma Street Brisbane, QLD, 4000. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: (+617) 3236 1004
● Rooms will be shared.
● Accommodation and breakfast are covered by the registration fee.
● If you wish to stay the night before the 25th, you will need to contact the hotel directly via the email or phone number above. Sessions
● The sessions will take place at the University of Queensland, St Lucia.
● Travel time from YHA to UQ is approximately 30 minutes via public transport. We encourage you to use Translink to plan your journey https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/journey-planner
● The school will start at approximately 9 - 9:30am each morning. Further information regarding logistics will be provided closer to the start of the school.

Application and Further Info

Please use the following link to apply and send your CV and application letter.
https://redcap.latrobe.edu.au/redcap/surveys/?s=WLWJ8PTAFR4XFTPC
If you have any questions about the program, the stream leaders, or the general procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We look forward to seeing you in Brisbane!

Organizing Committee

Saba Safdar, University of Guelph, Canada
Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka, University of Gdansk, Poland
Alex English, Wenzhou-Kean University, China
Rui Zhang, Dickinson College, USA
Ariane Virgona, Student Member, La Trobe University, Australia
Marie Kollek, Student Member, University of Hildesheim, Germany
Luan Nguyen Huynh, Student Member, RMIT University, Vietnam
Hajar Soltan, Student Member, University of Guelph, Canada
Liliyana Mbeve, Student Member, University of Limerick, Ireland

Click to download the PDF version for this info