ECVA Character Conference 2025 in Vienna
"What makes a life of flourishing? Exploring the Intersection of Character Education, Life Skills, and Competencies"
Established in 2022, the European Character and Virtue Association offers a forum for promoting research, training and networking in the field of character education. We bring together educational institutions in Europe and scholars from around the world, providing unrivalled opportunities for members to share best practices and shape European policies affecting higher education and research.
The 2025 conference of ECVA will take place in Vienna, Austria, is hosted by the University of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria and is carried out in cooperation with the Jubilee Centre of Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham and the University of Trnava.
The Executive Board of the European Character and Virtue Association (ECVA) cordially invites you to attend the 2025 ECVA Conference in Vienna, Austria.
- President: Prof. Dr. James Arthur (Harvard University)
- Vice President: Prof. Dr. Verónica (Francisco de Vitoria University Madrid)
- Secretary: Prof. Dr. Tom Harrison (Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham)
- Treasurer: Prof. Dr. Roland Bernhard (University of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria)
Conference Information
📍 Vienna, 2025, 24th to 26th of June
👥 100+ researchers
🏛️ 40+ universities
🌍 20+ countries
🎤 60+ presentations & keynote addresses
Conference main organisers
Prof. Dr. Roland Bernhard & Prof. Dr. Martin Brestovanký
Keynote Speakers
- Prof. Dr. Andreas Schleicher (Director of Education, OECD)
- Prof. Dr. Liz Gulliford (Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham)
- Prof. Dr. Torsten Hitz (University of Teacher Education Heidelberg)
- Prof. Dr. Michel Croce (University of Genoa)
Conference description
Flourishing as an Educational Imperative
Flourishing has become a widely accepted goal of education, with the OECD now reevaluating its role in shaping global educational policies. But what does it truly mean to live a flourishing life? How do character education, life skills, and competence-based learning contribute to both individual well-being and the flourishing of society as a whole?
This conference explores the intersections between:
- Character Education, which directly aims at fostering human flourishing,
- Life Skills Education, with its emphasis on mental health and resilience, and
- Competency-Based Education, which has become dominant in many Western countries with a stronger cognitive focus.
The ECVA conference 2025 in Vienna will be titled “What makes a life of flourishing? Exploring the Intersection of Character, Life Skills and Competencies”. The conference will share research by bringing together around 100 philosophers, educators, education researchers, psychologists, policy makers and professionals from over 20 countries. Attendees will engage in discussions on how character education can foster personal and professional flourishing, on the integration of virtues and life skills into educational curricula, and the impact of holistic child development approaches on overall well-being, happiness, and school success in a time of competence orientation.
Amidst the growing mental health crisis among young people in many countries, these questions are pressing. In today’s educational landscape, many students face significant wellbeing and mental health challenges. The conference will focus on how whole child development approaches, such as Aristotelian character education and life skills programs can promote psychological well-being and happiness. It will also examine how these approaches can be integrated with more utilitarian education methods that emphasize the development of cognitive competencies and achievement in standardized tests. The central theme revolves around exploring how these elements of education can be effectively combined to help individuals thrive both personally and professionally.
The conference will feature keynote presentations by renowned experts, alongside plenary sessions and parallel sessions for paper presentations. Vienna, with its historical and intellectual legacy, will provide an inspiring environment for vibrant discussions and collaborative innovation.
Delegates will be from these countries
At the ECVA conference, there will be presentations from delegates of the following universities and institutions:
- Fundación Varkey
- Universidad Austral
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg
- Private University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches
- University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
- University of Teacher Education of Christian Churches
Universidade Federal de Goiás
Ivey Business School, Western University
Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
- Centrum rozvoje charakteru and Palacky University
- Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University
- University of Hradec Králové
- University of Tartu
- University of Helsinki
- Deree - The American College of Greece
- Catholic Education Office of Hong Kong
- Farhangian University
- European University of Rome
- Pontifical University of the Holy Cross
- Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies
- Università degli studi di Modena
- Università di Genova
- University of Bari
- University of Rome Tor Vergata
- University of Latvia
- Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla
- Radboud University Medical Center
- Tilburg University
- University of Humanistic Studies
- Ministry of Education
- Anton Neuwirth College
- Comenius University in Bratislava
- Constantine the Philosopher University
- Trnava University
- San Pablo University
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
- Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)
- Universidad Villanueva
- University of Navarra
- Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham
- London School of Theology
- United Learning
- University of Birmingham
- Wellington College
- Arizona State University
- Honors College, University of Tulsa
- Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
- University of Miami
What makes a life of flourishing?
Character – Life Skills – Competencies
Date: 24 th 11:30 to 26th of June 14:30 (Annual General Meeting of the Association, 13:45-14:45)
Host: Private University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria in cooperation with the Jubilee Centre of Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham and the University of Trnava
The conference is hosted by the Private University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria which is Austria’s largest private university college for teacher education with seven campus locations in Vienna and Lower Austria. Currently about 2,500 students participate in pre-service teacher education programmes and about 1,000 students in advanced teacher training courses.
Location of the conference: Vienna, Austria, Donaucity-Straße 1, 1220 Vienna. View Conference Rooms.
Conference description
The ECVA conference 2025 in Vienna will be titled “What makes a life of flourishing? Exploring the Intersection of Character, Life Skills and Competencies”. It will gather leading researchers from around the world to explore the crucial interplay between character development, essential life skills, resilience, and competencies. The conference aims to share research by bringing together philosophers, educators, education researchers, psychologists, and professionals. Attendees will engage in discussions on how character education can foster personal and professional flourishing, on the integration of virtues and life skills into educational curricula, and the impact of holistic child development approaches on overall well-being, happiness, and school success in a time of competence orientation.
In today’s educational landscape, many students face significant wellbeing and mental health challenges. The conference will focus on how whole child development approaches, such as Aristotelian character education and life skills programs can promote psychological well-being and happiness. It will also examine how these approaches can be integrated with more utilitarian education methods that emphasize the development of cognitive competencies and achievement in standardized tests. The central theme revolves around exploring how these elements of education can be effectively combined to help individuals thrive both personally and professionally.
Thus, the conference aims to provide a thorough understanding of how character education, life skills, and competency development can be leveraged to support students’ holistic development. By addressing these critical intersections, the event will offer valuable insights and strategies for educators, policymakers and parents dedicated to promoting resilience, well-being, and overall flourishing for students in work and life.
This event promises a rich exchange of ideas and research findings. The conference will be structured around plenary sessions and parallel sessions with paper presentations selected through double-blind review process.
Vienna, known for its historical and cultural heritage, provides an inspiring backdrop for this gathering. The city’s rich intellectual history and vibrant atmosphere will enhance the collaborative spirit of the event, fostering meaningful discussions and innovative ideas.
Conference Format
The conference will feature keynote presentations by renowned experts, alongside plenary sessions and parallel sessions for paper presentations. Vienna, with its historical and intellectual legacy, will provide an inspiring environment for vibrant discussions and collaborative innovation.
Call for Abstracts
The European Character and Virtue Association (ECVA) invites submissions for its upcoming conference, taking place in Vienna in 2025. This event, titled “What Makes a Life of Flourishing? Exploring the Intersection of Character, Life Skills, and Competencies,” will bring together leading researchers, educators, psychologists, philosophers, and practitioners from around the world to explore how character education and life skills development contribute to personal and professional flourishing.
The ECVA 2025 Conference seeks to address key questions at the intersection of character development, resilience, life skills, and competency-building.
Topics might include
- How can character education foster individual well-being, personal growth, and success?
- What role do life skills and competencies play in holistic child development?
- How can virtues and life skills be effectively integrated into educational curricula?
- What impact do whole-child approaches, such as Aristotelian character education, have on students' psychological well-being, happiness, and academic success?
- How can character and life skills education be aligned with modern, utilitarian educational goals such as competency development and achievement in standardized assessments?
We particularly encourage papers that examine:
- Theoretical frameworks and philosophical underpinnings of character and virtue education.
- Practical applications of character education and life skills. programs in schools
- Research on resilience, well-being, and happiness as outcomes of character and life skills education.
- Comparative studies on the integration of character and competency-based education models.
- Policy implications for implementing character education across educational systems.
Submissions are invited for paper presentations. All submissions will undergo a double-blind review process to ensure quality and relevance. We welcome contributions from researchers, educators, and practitioners who are interested in advancing the study and application of character and virtue education.
The paper proposal is to be submitted in English and must include the following:
- Abstract (500 words), with 4-5 keywords.
- Short abstract (100 words).
- Title of the paper.
- Author(s), affiliation, and e-mail address of the corresponding author.
Deadline for Abstract Submission: 20th of February, 2025.
Notification of Acceptance: 1st of March 2025.
Submission Form ▼
Submit Your Abstracts
Who Are ECVA
The European Character and Virtue Association (ECVA), established in 2022, is dedicated to promoting research, training, and networking in the field of character education across Europe. ECVA serves as a platform for collaboration among universities, academic networks, individual researchers and practitioners, with the goal of advancing character virtues and influencing educational policy in Europe and beyond. By uniting a wide network of educational institutions in Europe and scholars from around the globe, ECVA fosters a vibrant community dedicated to character and virtue education.
Executive Board of ECVA (in founding process)
President:
Prof. Dr. James Arthur
Faculty Affiliate, Human Flourishing Program
Harvard University
Secretary:
Prof. Dr. Tom Harrison
Director of Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues,
University of Birmingham
Vice President:
Prof. Dr. Verónica Fernández
Director of the Virtue and Values Education Centre,
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Treasurer:
Prof. Dr. Roland Bernhard
Professor of Education, Private University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria.
President:
Prof. Dr. James Arthur
Faculty Affiliate, Human Flourishing Program
Harvard University
Vice President:
Prof. Dr. Verónica Fernández
Director of the Virtue and Values Education Centre,
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Secretary:
Prof. Dr. Tom Harrison
Director of the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues,
University of Birmingham
Treasurer:
Prof. Dr. Roland Bernhard
Professor of Education, Private University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria.
Registration & Fee
Presenters of all accepted papers will be expected to register to attend the conference. However, you can register to attend the conference without submitting a paper proposal.
The registration fee of € 260 for each individual attendee includes lunch and dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as coffee breaks and conference materials.
In order to formalise your registration and payment you must:
- Fill out the registration form to provide us with information about the attendee and any allergies or food restrictions.
- Access the payment gateway and follow the instructions
- Complete the payment before the deadline: May 23rd, 2025
NOTE: Your registration is only complete once you have made the payment. Deadline of payment: May, 23rd 2025
The fee includes:
- Access to all Keynote Lectures
- Access to all Parallel sessions (both Symposia and presentations)
- Lunch and dinner Wednesday and Thursday (conference dinner), coffee breaks
- Conference material
Payment methods:
- Credit and Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro)
- Bank transfer – in case of bank transfer the subject of the transaction should be specified as follows: “ECVA 2025 [surnames and names of all paying attendees]”, for example “ECVA 2025 Doe John”