Eurochild member CREAN’s next biennial conference in 25-26 April 2024 will explore the topic of ‘Collaborative Research in Children’s Rights. Fostering Dialogue Between Academia and Society’.
This article was co-written with Mané Kocharyan and Dr Roberta Ruggiero.
The need for in-depth research, comprehensive studies, and interdisciplinary university teaching is paramount to advance children’s rights. The Children's Rights European Academic Network (CREAN) was founded in 2004 at the Free University of Berlin to meet this demand. Today as an alliance of nearly 30 academic institutions spanning Eastern and Western Europe, CREAN is steadfastly dedicated bolster European academic institutions in both education and research, thereby enriching the interdisciplinary conversation surrounding children’s rights.
With a strong digital presence on platforms like LinkedIn and X, CREAN actively showcases academic events, research activities, and calls for proposals centered around children’s rights. Our vision is inclusive: while our member institutions remain at the forefront, we're also committed to highlighting any children's rights activity that resonates with our global audience.
A decade of thought leadership on children’s rights in Europe
The CREAN Conference, a biennial gathering, brings together scholars from European institutions to explore and brainstorm emerging issues in children's rights. It offers a dedicated space for parallel sessions where researchers can collaborate and share their insights. The upcoming CREAN Conference is set for April 25-26 and is organised by the University of Geneva, specifically its Centre for Children’s Rights Studies. The theme for the conference will be “Collaborative Research in Children’s Rights. Fostering Dialogue Between Academia and Society”.
CREAN PhD symposiums have served as a platform for PhD candidates and emerging researchers from all over the world to showcase their research, engage with prominent academics, and receive guidance from their academic supervisors. The 9th edition of the PhD Symposium, organised in collaboration with the University of Antwerp, was hosted on 4 and 5 December in a hybrid format, centered around the theme "Critical Approaches to Children’s Rights." Looking ahead, the 10th edition will be hosted at the University of Stockholm on 13-14 June.
More information about CREAN
While based in Europe, since 2016 CREAN has been hosted by the Centre for Children’s Rights Studies at the University of Geneva and has a global reach. CREAN facilitates a variety of academic events with top notch experts that are open to everyone, irrespective of their geographical location. This includes convening conferences, organising seminars, and hosting webinars.
In collaboration with member institutions, these events create a collaborative environment, fostering dialogue between academia, policymakers, and civil society from all over the world and making CREAN a key promoter in furthering the social perception and understanding of children’s human rights.
