Systemic Research Forum

The Systemic Research Forum aims to create a collaborative space where researchers, practitioners, doctoral students, and organisations can present, discuss, and refine systemic research that explores complexity through relational, contextual, reflexive, and multi-perspectival lenses.

The Systemic Research Forum is intentionally interdisciplinary and seeks to bring together researchers, practitioners, doctoral candidates, and organisations engaged in systemic inquiry across a wide range of fields. While maintaining strong roots in systemic psychotherapy and family therapy, the Forum welcomes research from social work, education, healthcare, organisational studies, leadership, community development, ecology and sustainability, public policy, research methodology, and emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and systems thinking. By creating a space where diverse disciplines can engage in dialogue through relational, contextual, reflexive, and complexity-oriented perspectives, the Forum aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and the advancement of systemic knowledge across professional, social, and organisational contexts.

Eventual editions of the Systemic Research Forum will be organised around a central theme that reflects contemporary developments, challenges, and opportunities within systemic research and practice. The annual theme will provide a focal point for presentations, discussions, workshops, and collaborative inquiry, while remaining broad enough to accommodate the diversity of systemic research being undertaken internationally. Themes such as Capturing Complexity, Researching Relationships, Contexts and Change, Power, Difference and Reflexivity in Research, or Systemic Inquiry in an Uncertain World are intended to stimulate dialogue across disciplines and encourage researchers to explore how systemic perspectives can contribute to understanding and addressing complex human, social, organisational, and ecological phenomena. Through this thematic approach, the forum seeks to foster coherence, innovation, and intellectual exchange while advancing the development of systemic knowledge and research practice across different fields.

A key objective of the Systemic Research Forum is to establish meaningful international collaborations with organisations, universities, research centres, professional associations, and networks actively engaged in systemic research and practice. The forum will seek to build relationships with leading national and international bodies within the fields of systemic psychotherapy, family therapy, social sciences, healthcare, education, organisational development, and related disciplines. Through these partnerships, the forum aims to attract a diverse range of presenters, facilitate the exchange of ideas across countries and cultures, and create opportunities for collaborative research initiatives. International colleagues will be invited to contribute through keynote presentations, research papers, panel discussions, and the nomination of researchers whose work advances systemic knowledge and practice. In doing so, the forum seeks to position itself as an internationally recognised platform for the promotion, dissemination, and development of systemic research.

To encourage broad participation and support the development of systemic research at different stages, the Systemic Research Forum will be organised into a number of thematic research streams. These streams will provide dedicated spaces for the presentation and discussion of completed research, research in progress, methodological innovations, doctoral and professional doctorate studies, and research impact on practice, policy, and organisations. This structure is intended to facilitate meaningful dialogue between established researchers, emerging scholars, practitioners, and students, while recognising the diversity of contributions that advance systemic knowledge. By creating opportunities for both mature and developing research to be presented and critically explored, the forum aims to nurture a vibrant international research community committed to the ongoing growth and application of systemic inquiry.

A distinctive feature of the Systemic Research Forum will be the inclusion of a Signature Research Conversation, designed to move beyond the traditional conference model of presentation followed by a brief question-and-answer session. In this format, each research presentation will be followed by a facilitated systemic dialogue in which participants are invited to explore the assumptions, contexts, relationships, reflexive positions, ethical considerations, and practical implications emerging from the research. The purpose of these conversations is not simply to evaluate findings, but to create a collaborative space for inquiry, curiosity, and critical reflection. By engaging presenters and participants in a deeper exploration of the systemic dimensions of research, the Signature Research Conversation seeks to enrich learning, foster intellectual exchange, and model the relational and reflexive principles that lie at the heart of systemic thinking and practice.

The Institute of Family Therapy Malta, through the forum is committed not only to providing a platform for the presentation of research but also to supporting its wider dissemination and long-term impact. To achieve this, the Forum will seek to establish publication opportunities that enable researchers to share their work with broader academic and professional audiences. These may include conference proceedings, special issues in relevant journals, edited volumes of selected papers, and digital repositories of presentations and research outputs. By creating pathways from presentation to publication, the forum aims to promote the visibility, accessibility, and influence of systemic research while contributing to the ongoing development of systemic theory, methodology, and practice. The publication strategy will also encourage scholarly dialogue beyond the event itself, ensuring that the knowledge generated through the forum continues to inform research, practice, education, and policy.

Over time, the out of the forum will hopefully emerge the interest to aim to establish an annual peer-reviewed publication, the Systemic Research Forum Review, which would serve as an international showcase for emerging and established systemic research.

Recognising that the future of systemic research depends on the development of new generations of researchers, the Systemic Research Forum will place particular emphasis on supporting doctoral candidates, professional doctorate students, and emerging researchers. Dedicated streams, mentoring opportunities, research roundtables, and developmental feedback sessions will provide a supportive environment in which researchers can present work in progress, refine research ideas, and engage with experienced scholars and practitioners. The forum aims to foster a vibrant learning community that encourages innovation, critical inquiry, and methodological rigour while helping emerging researchers build professional networks and collaborative partnerships. Through this commitment, the Forum seeks to contribute to the sustainability and advancement of systemic research both nationally and internationally.

The location of the Systemic Research Forum in Malta provides a unique opportunity to establish the event as an international meeting point for systemic researchers and practitioners. Situated at the crossroads of Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean, Malta offers both geographical accessibility and a rich cultural context that reflects diversity, dialogue, and exchange. The forum seeks to utilise this strategic position to bring together participants from different countries, disciplines, and professional traditions, fostering conversations that transcend national and disciplinary boundaries. By creating a welcoming and intellectually stimulating environment, the forum aims to become a recognised hub for international collaboration, networking, and the advancement of systemic research.

The long-term vision of the Systemic Research Forum is to establish itself as a leading international platform for the promotion, dissemination, and advancement of systemic research. Beyond the annual conference, the Forum seeks to cultivate an enduring research community that encourages collaboration, innovation, and scholarly exchange across disciplines and countries. Over time, the forum aims to develop a strong international network of researchers, attract participation from a growing number of countries and organisations, establish recognised publication pathways, and become a reference point for emerging developments in systemic inquiry. Through sustained commitment to research excellence, reflexive dialogue, and interdisciplinary engagement, the Systemic Research Forum aspires to contribute significantly to the evolution of systemic theory, methodology, and practice in addressing the complex challenges of contemporary society.

The first meeting of the forum will take place on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 January 2027.

Deadline for submissions of posters, presentations, workshops, etc.: 30 November 2026