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About the Global Respectful Disruption Summit

COMPEAR.org and GoAbroad.com have joined forces to amplify the voices and experiences too often pushed to the margins globally. Our mission is to unapologetically challenge and reshape practices and policies that perpetuate inequality and bias in international education and beyond. This Summit is a space to disagree and to agree — a place where diverse perspectives are welcomed, hard truths are spoken, and common ground is built. Because in the end, respectful disruption means working through differences to create better outcomes for one another and for our students. The 2026 Global Respectful Disruption Summit is our collective endeavor to unite individuals who share this vision for candid dialogue. This will be real talk. This will be uncensored. This will highlight underamplified voices.

We recognize that conferences can be costly and competitive, and these barriers sometimes make valuable insights and resources inaccessible for everyone. In alignment with our core beliefs, we aim to change this narrative. The 2026 Global Respectful Disruption Summit is designed to be virtual, affordable and accessible because we want to ensure that participants leave with actionable insights for both their personal and professional spheres.

Who Attends?

We invite international educators, intercultural professionals, community leaders, creatives, service providers, and justice advocates for global education to join us. Whether you’re based in North, Central, or South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, or Oceania, your voice and perspective are valued. We welcome contributions from students, scholars, artists, entrepreneurs, emerging practitioners, experienced leaders, grassroots educators, or anyone related to accessible global learning. We want to hear from you. Our goal is to elevate voices and perspectives that have been under-amplified in global and multicultural education, especially those that challenge norms and reimagine what ethical global engagement can look like.

Students, seasoned professionals, lecturers, or newcomers are all welcome.

Summit Registration Costs

FULL ACCESS

SUPER EARLY BIRD
$ 99
Opens February 1 - March 1, 2026
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FULL ACCESS

EARLY BIRD
$ 149
Opens March 2 - March 23, 2025
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FULL ACCESS

REGULAR
$ 169
Opens March 24 - April 24, 2026 (12 pm ET)
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FULL ACCESS

STUDENT
$ 69
Opens February 1 - Closes April 24, 2026
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GROUP RATE PROMOTION

When registering three or more participants in a single order, attendees will receive 15% off per ticket!

Just use promo code GRDS2026GROUP at the top of the registration page.

Here’s what 15% off each ticket is when booking a group of at least three or more:

  • $99 (Super Early Bird) → $84.15

  • $149 (Early Bird) → $126.65

  • $169  (General) → $143.65

  • $69 (Student) → $58.65

Respectful Disruption Learning Guide

One of the goals of the summit is to provide you with the opportunity to reflect on what it would mean to respectfully disrupt those systems that have governed and shaped the spaces you inhabit–professional, personal, etc. Ideally, the summit will inspire and empower you to think deeply about what is necessary for true, sustainable change to occur. To that end, we invite you to use the following exercises and activities, a disruptive “roadmap” if you will, to guide your learning and engagement before, during, and after the summit.

We’re also confident that this learning guide will prove useful when attending any event or activity and encourage any and all to download and use these guidelines to learn how to be a better Respectful Disruptor.

Download and use of this guide is complimentary!

Download Your Guide

By submitting your name and email you will be added to our email list to receive information and updates about COMPEAR and the Global Respectful Disruption Summit (we promise we’ll be kind to your inbox!).

Become a Host of a 2026 Global Respectful Disruption Summit Hub

Partner with us for the 2026 Global Respectful Disruption Summit and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global education. Together, we can create a respectfully disruptive and inclusive learning environment for educators and students around the world.

Don’t miss this chance to lead the way in global education innovation and equity. Contact us today to learn more about hosting a summit hub at your institution!

Express your interest by the Priority Deadline of OCTOBER 15, 2025, or the Final Deadline of JANUARY 12, 2026, to ensure full support and inclusion during forthcoming registration. If you have any questions, please email: globalrdsummit@compear.org 

We invite your school, university, OR organization to become a vital part of SUSTAINABLE ACCESS in action. Be a local in-person viewing hub for the 2026 GRDS and join us in our mission to foster inclusive, accessible, and environmentally conscious professional development in international education. This summit is a unique opportunity to amplify voices that are underamplified in global education settings.

A GRDS Hub is a local in-person viewing site designated for the virtual Global Respectful Disruption Summit. These hubs serve as physical venues where participants within a two-hour radius can gather to experience the summit live. Each hub is open to all registrants, offering a community-focused, accessible opportunity to engage with the summit’s content alongside peers and experts. Registration for these hubs is integrated into the overall summit registration process, ensuring a streamlined experience for all attendees.

  1. Leadership Opportunity: Position your institution as a leader in innovative educational practices and global education, including a commitment to environmentally conscious programming. This emphasizes your leadership in sustainability alongside educational innovation.
  2. Community Engagement: Enhance connections within your local and academic community by offering a platform for shared learning and networking, centered on the principle of respectful disruption. This approach fosters unity over division, emphasizing diversity in practice among our students, ourselves, and our committees.
  3. Visibility: Elevate your institution’s global equity presence by demonstrating a genuine commitment to justice and proactive environmental initiatives. This showcases your institution’s integration of these important values in its daily operations.
  4. Professional Growth: Provide an opportunity for your staff and students to engage deeply with topics central to respectful disruption in international education by participating directly in the summit. This event draws a diverse group of participants, from international educators across various sectors—such as Education Abroad, International Student Scholar Services, and more—to practitioners focused on intercultural communication and diversity equity and inclusion. The summit facilitates discussions on sustainable practices within education, underscoring the importance of environmental consciousness in shaping a future-oriented educational landscape. All attendees, whether students, seasoned professionals, lecturers, or newcomers, will find valuable opportunities for professional and personal development.
  • Secure a venue on campus that can accommodate at least 20-50 participants (flexible based on the space available). Please note in addition to your campus community, local universities within a 2-hour radius and other global educational organizations should be able to join as well. 
  • Provide on site host(s) to guide the day’s events and lead a reflective session post-summit.
  • Ensure all technical requirements are met for seamless viewing and interaction with the live sessions. To ensure a successful viewing experience, your institution will need to provide:
    • Reserved Room: A dedicated space that can comfortably accommodate the anticipated number of attendees.
    • Projection Screen: Suitable for displaying virtual conference sessions to a group.
    • Sound System: Adequate for ensuring clear audio transmission throughout the event space.
    • High-Speed Internet: Essential for streaming live sessions without interruptions.
  • Maintain accessibility standards to accommodate all participants.
  • Promote summit within local listservs and events to maximize engagement.
  • A hosting grant to assist with catering and other hosting costs.
  • Instructions on GRDS registration for all hubs which will be integrated into our general registration process and materials tailored for your hub.
  • A cap on participant numbers based on your preferences and capacity.
  • Detailed guidance on setting up an accessible and engaging space.
  • Technical support for accessing and participating in the summit remotely.

Join us!

Get involved with the Global Respectful Disruption Summit and our initiatives.