Past conferences

Our renowned annual conference has taken place since our inception in 1975. We've visited stunning locations across the UK including Oxford, Edinburgh, Aberystwyth, Exeter and Brighton.

2026 - BISA 50th Conference, Brighton

Keynote speaker: Kimberly Hutchings

2025 - BISA 49th Conference (50th anniversary), Belfast

Keynote speaker: Roland Bleiker

2024 - BISA 48th Conference, Birmingham 

Keynote speaker: Tarak Barkawi

2022 - BISA 46th Conference, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Keynote speakers: Kim Stanley Robinson, Professor Wendy Wong, Professor Stefan Elbe and Professor Lorraine Elliott

2021- BISA 45th Conference, Virtual via Zoom

Keynote speakers: Professor Gary Younge, Dr Olivia Rutazibwa, Professor Robbie Shilliam, Dr Heba Youssef, Dr Jenna Marshall, Dr Lata Narayanaswamy, Professor Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Dr Sithembile Mbete, Dr Swati Parashar and Dr Agnes Callamard

2020 - No Conference due to COVID-19

2019 - BISA 44th Conference, London

2018 - BISA 43rd Conference, Bath

2017 - BISA 42nd Conference, Brighton 

2016 - BISA 41st Conference, Edinburgh

2015 - BISA 40th Conference, London

2014 - BISA 39th Conference, Dublin, Ireland

2013 - BISA 38th Conference, Birmingham

2012 - BISA 37th Conference (Joint with ISA), Edinburgh

2011 - BISA 36th Conference, Manchester

Plenary speaker - Professor Barry Buzan

2010 - No Conference due to date change

2009 - BISA 35th Conference, University of Leicester

Plenary speaker - Professor Michael Cox

2008 - BISA 34th Conference, University of Exeter

2007 - BISA 33rd Conference, University of Cambridge

Plenary speaker - Professor Cynthia Enloe

2006 - BISA 32nd Conference, University of Cork, Ireland

Plenary speaker - Professor Phil Cerney

2005 - BISA 31st Conference, University of St Andrews

Plenary speakers - Professor Chris Brown, Professor Geoffrey Roberts and Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman

2004 - BISA 30th Conference, University of Warwick

Plenary speaker - Robert Cooper

2003 - BISA 29th Conference, University of Birmingham

Plenary speaker - Professor Paul Wilkinson

2002 - BISA 28th Conference, London School of Economics

Plenary speaker - Professor Michael Cox

2001 - BISA 27th Conference, University of Edinburgh 

Plenary speaker - Professor John Ikenberry

2000 - BISA 26th Conference, University of Bradford

Plenary speaker - Richard Rosencrance

1999 - BISA 25th Conference, University of Manchester

Plenary speaker - Professor Robert Cox

1998 - BISA 24th Conference, University of Sussex

Plenary speaker - Professor Michael Nicholson

1997 - BISA 23rd Conference, University of Leeds

Plenary speaker - Jean Bethke Elsshtain

1996 - BISA 22nd Conference, University of Durham

Plenary speaker - Matt Ridley

1995 - BISA 21st Conference, University of Southampton

Plenary speaker - Philip Allott

1994 - BISA 20th Conference, University of York

Plenary speaker - Professor Adam Roberts

1993 - BISA 19th Conference, University of Warwick

Plenary speakers - Professor Susan Strange and John Tusa

1992 - BISA 18th Conference, University of Wales Swansea

Plenary speaker - Professor Jack Spence

1991 - BISA 17th Conference, University of Warwick

Plenary speaker - Professor Susan Strange

1990 - BISA 16th Conference, University of Newcastle

Plenary speaker - Professor Ken Booth

1989 - BISA 15th Conference, University of Kent

Plenary speaker - Professor Howard Newby

1988 - No Conference

1987 - BISA 14th Conference, University of Wales Aberystwyth

Plenary speaker - Professor R E Jones

1986 - BISA 13th Conference, University of Reading

Plenary speaker - Christopher Andrew

1984 - BISA 11th Conference, University of Durham

Plenary speaker - James Rosenau

1983 - BISA 10th Conference, University of Birmingham

Plenary speaker - David Calleo

1982 - BISA 9th Conference, University of Southampton

Plenary speaker - Robert O'Neill

1981 - BISA 8th Conference, University of Sussex

Plenary speakers - Peter Calrocoressi and Christopher Thorne

1980 - BISA 7th Conference, University of Lancaster

Plenary speakers - Richard Falk and David Watson

1979 - BISA 6th Conference, University of Keele

Plenary speakers - Kenneth Waltz and Adam Watson

1978 - BISA 5th Conference, St Catherines College Oxford

Plenary speaker - Sir Michael Palliser

1977 - BISA 4th Conference, University of Durham

Plenary speakers - Professor Edward Azar and Professor Michael Sullivan

1976 - BISA 3rd Conference, University of Warwick

Plenary speaker - Robert Keohane

1975 - BISA 2nd Conference, University of Birmingham

Plenary speaker - Kenneth Waltz

1975 - Inaugural BISA Conference, Lincoln College, Oxford