Biennial Meetings

Biennial Meetings

Since ISSBD’s first Biennial Meeting in Nijmegen in 1971, attendance has grown from approximately 200 delegates to more than 1,300 participants.

The importance and influence of the Biennial Meetings are reflected in the growing interest in cross-cultural and cross-national research on behavioural development, the many international collaborations and research initiatives that have emerged from these meetings, and increased engagement with ISSBD in the countries and regions where meetings have been held.

The Biennial Meetings bring together developmental scientists from around the world to present new research, exchange ideas, build international networks, and develop collaborations across countries, cultures, disciplines, and career stages. To reflect its international mission and encourage participation from different regions of the world, ISSBD seeks to rotate the location of its Biennial Meetings across continents.

Past Biennial Meetings

Since 1971, ISSBD has held 28 Biennial Meetings across six continents: 14 in Europe, six in North America, four in Asia, two in Australia, one in Africa, and one in South America.

1971 Nijmegen, Netherlands
1973 Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
1975 Guildford, UK
1977 Pavia, Italy
1979 Lund, Sweden
1981 Toronto, Canada
1983 Munich, Germany
1985 Tours, France
1987 Tokyo, Japan
1989 Jyvaskyla, Finland
1991 Minneapolis, USA
1993 Recife, Brazil
1994 Amsterdam, Netherlands
1996 Quebec City, Canada
1998 Berne Switzerland
2000 Beijing, China
2002 Ottawa, Canada
2004 Ghent, Belgium
2006 Melbourne, Australia
2008 Würzburg, Germany
2010 Lusaka, Zambia
2012 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2014 Shanghai, China
2016 Vilnius, Lithuania
2018 Gold Coast, Australia
2022 Island of Rhodes, Greece
2024 Lisbon, Portugal
2026 Incheon, South Korea

The Biennial Meeting scheduled to take place in Rhodes in 2020 was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was subsequently held there in 2022.

Hosting Biennial Meetings

ISSBD welcomes expressions of interest from members and institutions interested in hosting a future Biennial Meeting.

For detailed information and guidance on hosting a meeting—including timelines, budget requirements, organizational responsibilities, and general planning recommendations—please contact the ISSBD President.

ISSBD Biennial Meeting Photo Galleries

22nd Biennial Meeting – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (July 8–12, 2012)
👉 View Flickr Gallery

27th Biennial Meeting – Lisbon, Portugal (June 16–20, 2024)
👉 View Flickr Gallery