EMAC 2026 Doctoral Colloquium

This project supports the organisation of the EMAC Doctoral Colloquium, which will take place in Bath from 31 May to 2 June 2026 as part of the European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Annual Conference. EMAC is a leading international academic marketing conference, bringing together over 1,000 scholars from more than 50 countries across all five continents to exchange ideas, disseminate research findings, and discuss work in progress in all areas of marketing research.

The University of Bath School of Management will host the conference in 2026 (31 May – 5 June 2026), which will include paper sessions, invited panels and symposia, keynotes, a job market simulation, networking events such as the conference dinner, ‘meet the editors’ sessions with editors from top journals (e.g., Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research), and the Doctoral Colloquium.

The Doctoral Colloquium is a highly valued cornerstone of EMAC and provides doctoral students in Marketing who want to pursue academic careers with an opportunity to discuss their dissertation research with other doctoral students and leading academics in the field. The Colloquium is offered every year during the first two days and organised in parallel tracks based on the topical and/or methodological angle of participants’ work as well as on the stage of their dissertation process. In a small group setting, students present and discuss their work with fellow students and three renowned experts from the same research area serving as mentors, giving them the unique opportunity to receive high-quality, relevant feedback to develop their work.

The funding requested will ensure the participation of these senior academic mentors, whose involvement is essential to the success and quality of the Colloquium. These highly experienced faculty provide detailed, constructive feedback, help students navigate academic publishing, and offer career advice that can have a lasting impact on their professional development. This support is particularly valuable for doctoral students who may have fewer opportunities to engage directly with senior international faculty, especially those based at institutions that may have limited opportunities for international academic exchange. Providing access to senior academic mentorship contributes to greater diversity and inclusion within the academic marketing community, helping to support a broad range of early-career researchers in building successful academic careers. The Colloquium thus plays a crucial role in integrating early career researchers into the international academic community and helps shape the next generation of marketing scholars.

EMAC’s purpose and vision, both overall and specifically for the Doctoral Colloquium, align very closely with the Marketing Trust’s priorities of advancing marketing knowledge and promoting responsible, high-quality research. Both organisations emphasise integrity, transparency, and the role of marketing in creating positive societal impact, with a clear commitment to support early career researchers. We believe that bringing this leading international marketing conference and its dedicated Doctoral Colloquium to the UK will facilitate the participation of delegates—particularly early career researchers—from other UK universities, while also giving the University of Bath the valuable opportunity to showcase its activities and research.