Tajdīd in Practice: From Inner Renewal to Outer Transformation
Extending the journey • Deepening praxis • Honouring the tradition
Building on the momentum of the 2025 GAIS Conference, “Tajdīd: Inspiration to Impact,” the 5th Annual GAIS Conference invites the global Islamic schooling community – school leaders, governors, system leaders, scholars, academics, and educators from every part of the schooling ecosystem -into the next phase of renewal-one that moves from inspiration to implementation. In an era marked by uncertainty and rapid change, Islamic schooling continues to offer a site of purpose, healing, and hope. We often look to our leadership to guide us on that journey. Tajdīd, as a timeless principle in our tradition, has long guided the Ummah toward renewal grounded in Divine purpose.
At the heart of this gathering is a simple but profound conviction: meaningful renewal in Islamic schooling begins with the formation of the educator-and is sustained through leaders who cultivate this formation within their schools, shaping culture, practice, and direction. When the educator is renewed inwardly—through clarity of purpose, ethical refinement, and alignment with the Islamic worldview—this renewal naturally extends outward into classrooms, leadership, governance, and the culture of the school itself-often through the intentional work of those leading and guiding these spaces.” This conference invites us to take the next courageous step-to not only reflect on renewal, but to consider how it is led, supported, and brought to life within schools and systems to consider how renewal takes shape within the educator, within relationships, and within the daily realities of teaching, leading, governing, and learning.
A Journey of Praxis: Forming • Self-Forming • Transforming
Participants will engage in a developmental arc that invites deeper alignment between belief, purpose, and professional practice – towards faithful praxis—grounded in the spiritual‑ethical heritage of Islam and oriented toward the challenges and possibilities of our time.
Forming
Re-centering our work in an Islamic worldview and reconnecting with purpose, identity, belief, and the primary purpose – Tarbiyah – and foundational aims of education.
Self-Forming
Deepening inward refinement through reflection, muḥāsabah, and renewed clarity about our roles as murabbiyūn—regardless of whether we lead, govern, research, or teach.
Transforming
Exploring pathways for sustainable, principled renewal in pedagogy, leadership, governance, policy, research, community partnership, and whole-school culture.
More than theory. Across these three days, participants will feel, experience, and inhabit the journey-with space to consider how these insights can be translated into practice within their classrooms, teams, and schools, particularly through leadership and collective effort. Keynotes, Lightning talks, interactive workshops, halaqah-style dialogues, panels and reflective spaces, will encourage a heart-to-heart encounter with renewal, not just an intellectual one.
This conference is an invitation to move:
- from awakening to action,
- from intention to embodiment,
- from knowing to becoming.
Together, we will explore how inner renewal leads to outer transformation – how the journey of the educator becomes the journey of the school-guided and sustained through thoughtful leadership, shared responsibility, and collective practice; and how faithful praxis becomes a lived legacy shaping our schools, our communities, and the futures of our learners.
Are we ready, together, to journey further into renewal?
Important dates Insha’Allah:
Milestone | Date |
CFP Release | April 14, 2026 |
Abstract submission deadline | June 15, 2026 |
Notification of acceptance | July 7, 2026 |
Full Presentation Due | July 23, 2026 |
Author registration deadline | Aug 15, 2026 |
Conference dates | October 4-7, 2026 |
Proposal Templates
Click on the proposal templates below to access:
Submit your proposal
Once you have read the above templates and are ready to submit your proposal, please click on the form below to complete the proposal form:
Showcase Your Organisation at GAIS 2026 – Apply Now!
Join us at the Global Association of Islamic Schools Conference 2025, taking place in Indonesia from 4 – 7 October 2025, in shā’ Allāh.
Interested in reserving a display table to showcase your organisation, products, or services to 250+ delegates from over 30 countries? Submit your application today!
👉 No payment required at this stage – this is an application only. GAIS will review all submissions and respond accordingly.
📌 Please note: GAIS reserves the right to decline applications.
🔗 Apply Now
Please download the Sponsorship Information document.
If you would like to sponsor the conference, please complete this form.
GAIS General Enquiries:
Admin Team | info@gais.network
Proposals and academic enquiries:
Dr. Leila Shatara | l.shatara@gais.network
Partnerships and collaborations:
Zeynep Alp | z.alp@gais.network