Join us for the 20th International European Council for High Ability (ECHA) Conference
The Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland at Dublin City University invites you to join us in Dublin for the 20th European Council for High Ability (ECHA) Conference. Embark on a transformative journey with educators, researchers, psychologists, parents and advocates from across the world to collectively redefine the landscape of gifted education. The conference promises to challenge conventional notions of giftedness, spark insightful dialogues, and inspire innovative approaches towards nurturing high ability in diverse learners.
Although a small country, Ireland’s tradition of transcontinental migration has created a world where the Irish diaspora are found everywhere. As a city, Dublin is accessible for international guests, filled with tradition and a gateway to Ireland’s famous ‘céad míle fáilte’- a hundred thousand welcomes.
CTY Ireland is one of Europe’s largest gifted education centres, Ireland’s only formal programme for gifted children and a thriving research centre. Established in Dublin City University in 1992, CTY Ireland aims to allow all gifted students to reach their potential both academically and socially, by providing interesting courses and programmes that are based on interest and ability, rather than age.
As the former hosts of ECHA 2018, CTY Ireland is committed to exceeding the high levels of engagement and enjoyment participants reported. Ireland is a landscape of stunning beauty, with a deep cultural and literary history, with a warm and welcoming population. We can guarantee a social programme like no other, so guests can experience the lively atmosphere of Dublin during the event.
Welcome from the Chair
We are delighted to welcome the 20th ECHA conference to Dublin in August 2026. We previously hosted the conference in 2018 and it was a fantastic experience with so many people having a wonderful time in Dublin. This time promises to be even more special. We are hosting the conference on our campus at Dublin City University which is the home of CTY Ireland, the largest programme for gifted students in Europe and the Institute of Education which is Ireland’s largest teacher education faculty.
The theme of the conference is Advancing Excellence: Rethinking Gifted Education and I feel it very appropriate for the field at this moment in time. In my 30 years working in gifted education I have seen huge changes in recent years. The growth of AI and advances in technology present new opportunities and challenges for gifted students. The effects of the pandemic and the declining mental health of younger people are also areas that have made us think differently. Indeed the growth in identification of twice exceptional students has changed the face of gifted education forever.
I really want this conference to be reflective of all these changes and be a welcoming environment for teachers, researchers, psychologists, parents and indeed gifted students themselves. We hope to have some of the leading experts in the field talking about their research and practical work and we hope to run events for special interest groups. But as an ECHA conference veteran I am very aware that sometimes our best memories of these events are what happens outside of the talks and lectures. And there really is no better place in the world for that to happen than Dublin. We look forward to seeing you here in 2026.
Dr Colm O’Reilly
Director, CTY Ireland
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