Sign up here - we look forward to seeing you in #emmalappeenranta at LUT Business School.
- 14 November 2025 - Online submission opens
- 18 January 2026 - Deadline for submissions (abstract and special sessions)
Note! The deadline has been extended to 30 January 2026. - 27 February 2026 - Notification of acceptance; opening of conference registration; opening of full paper submissions
- 30 April 2026 - Deadline for both full paper submissions to be considered for Best Paper Award and submissions for the Paper Development Workshop
- 30 April 2026 - Closing of Conference Registration
- 27 May 2026 PhD - Workshop, Paper Development Workshop, and Welcome reception
- 28-29 May 2026 - emma 2026 Annual Conference
- 30 May 2026 - Social post-conference activities
Please see Call for Papers in PDF format below.
Note: The deadline for submissions has been extended to January 30, 2026.
We welcome Regular Session Submissions and Special Session Submissions. For further information and specific submission guidelines, please see the Call for Papers.
Submission can be made via EasyChair.
Please note that the PhD Workshop submission instructions will be announced later.
REGULAR SESSION SUBMISSION
Abstract submission: Deadline 18 January 2026 (extended to 30 January 2026)
Submissions for the emma conference are invited as paper proposals in the form of abstracts (500-750 words excluding references) followed by a full paper (8000 words maximum) if the abstract is accepted. Deadline for full paper submissions is 30 April 2026.
The abstract should address the following evaluation criteria:
- Introduction: problematization, research purpose, context, and empirical phenomenon (practical and social relevance, connections), and relevance to media management scholarship (theoretical relevance)
- Methodology: overview of key scientific methods employed, analytical steps, and reflections of data
- Tentative results: summary of (expected) results, findings, outcomes
- Tentative contributions: Theoretical contribution, practical implications
Further information:
- Submissions must be in the format of the Journal of Media Business Studies. That is English, size 12 font, Times New Roman and double-line spacing.
- emma 2026 will not incorporate a hybrid option for online paper presentations
SPECIAL SESSION SUBMISSION
Deadline 18 January 2026 (extended to 30 January 2026)
The emma conference welcomes submissions for special thematic sessions. We encourage the exploration of interactive and inventive session formats. Such sessions could for example touch upon (i) methodological innovations or the plethora of media management methodology in general, (ii) topics, methods, formats, and didactical issues in media management education, (iii) preparing for international collaboration in research (edited volumes, joint projects), (iv) strategies and measures for the further development of emma as an organization (geographical growth and alongside with it new themes e.g. at the frontiers of Europe), (v) launching systematic foresight activities together with European media industry possibly in the context of emma. These sessions will be slotted as concurrent offerings within the conference schedule.
To guide your special session proposals, please adhere to the following set of guidelines:
- The session's duration should span 90 minutes.
- A minimum of four participants, originating from a minimum of two distinct universities and/or institutions, must be included in the application. It is essential that all participants commit to being available throughout the entire conference program.
- The proposal should be submitted by a designated session chair, who will assume responsibility for all facets of the sub-session, including coordination during the conference and acting as the corresponding author.
- Proposals for special thematic sessions should not exceed a word limit of 1250 (excluding references) and should include a narrative supporting the relevance and novelty of the topic and the relation to the conference theme.
- When the submission system asks for author information, please enter only the name and affiliation of the session chair, not the names of the other authors or contributors, these should be added to the proposal text.
- Special session proposals will undergo a peer review process. Please note that this review will not be conducted blindly. Instead, it will focus on evaluating the session's alignment with the conference theme, the relevance of the proposed topic, as well as the quality and novelty of the session's concept.
We warmly invite doctoral researchers participating in the emma 2026 conference to join the PhD Workshop organized as part of the emma 2026 conference.
The workshop will take place on May 27, 2026 (from 8.30 to 13.00). This year‘s workshop consists of two parts: 1) Methods session and 2) Traditional round-table format. The program includes a coffee break and lunch at 13-14.
Please see Invitation to the emma 2026 PhD Workshop and the submission guidelines below.
All participants are asked to register their participation in PhD Workshop and to submit their research summary via this form.
Registration for emma 2026 is now open. All conference participants and accompanying persons persons are asked to register by April 30, 2026, via this form.
- 400 € - Regular delegate fee (plus emma membership)
- Includes the conference program, lunches and coffee breaks, welcome reception, dinner cruise on Lake Saimaa, and gala dinner
- 295 € - PhD student delegate fee (plus emma membership)
- Includes the PhD workshop, conference program, lunches and coffee breaks, welcome reception, dinner cruise on Lake Saimaa, and gala dinner
- 170 € - Accompanying persons (emma membership not required)
- Includes conference lunches, welcome reception, dinner cruise on Lake Saimaa, and gala dinner
- 90 € - Post-conference Social Day on May 30
- Includes a sightseeing tour in South Karelia, a region shaped by its location along the Finnish–Russian border, followed by a sauna evening and dinner at LUT Beach Sauna by Lake Saimaa
- Participants may join both parts of the program or only one, but the price remains the same
The prices of regular and PhD student delegate fees include the social programme fee of 150,00 € including VAT 25.5% (30,48 €), and the prices also include the conference fee (VAT 0%). The price of accompanying person includes VAT 25.5% (34,54 €) and the prife of post-conference social program includes VAT 25.5% (18,29 €).
Note: emma membership is a prerequisite for attending the annual conference. If you are planning to attend the conference, please ensure that you become a member prior to registering. You can become a member here.
Cancellation policy
If you need to cancel your registration or your participation in the post-conference social program, please contact us by email at emma2026@lut.fi. You can modify or cancel your registration until April 30, 2026, after which a cancellation fee of 50% will apply for cancellations made between May 1 and May 10. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made on or after May 11, 2026.