English Shared Futures

A celebration of the discipline’s intellectual strength, diversity and creativity, exploring its futures in the nations of the UK and across the world.

Since 2017, University English has worked biannually with universities and Learned Societies in English to bring the largest cross disciplinary English conference in the UK to a host university. An academic conference with a festival feel English: Shared Futures is the largest event for academics in English literature, language and creative writing. It is run by the major organisations of the discipline: The English Association and University English, and supported by the National Association of Writers in Education with Institute of English Studies and National Association for the Teaching of English.

You can find out more about the upcoming E:SF at York, plus previous English: Shared Futures conferences and digital content below.

English: Shared Futures, 2025

We are delighted to announce that the fourth biannual English: Shared Futures conference is to be held at University of York 3rd-5th July, 2025. Keep an eye on the conference website and social media for forthcoming news on the event, panels and performances.

English: Shared Futures 2025, University of York

To register for the conference and view its exciting provisional programme of salons, panels, roundtables and events, visit the English: Shared Futures 2025 website Please be aware that the programme…

English: Shared Futures,- University of York, 3rd – 5th July 2025

We are delighted to announce that the fourth biannual English: Shared Futures conference is to be held at University of York 3rd-5th July, 2025. English: Shared Futures 2025 builds on…

Hosted by Manchester Metropolitan University in collaboration with Salford and Manchester

English: Shared Futures Online 2020

Manchester Metropolitan University

In 2020, English Shared Futures adapted to online for Covid 19. You can view some of the recorded talks and panels below.

Writing in a pandemic (ESF 2020)

Writing in a pandemic Scott Thurston, interviewed by Malika Booker Scott Thurston discusses ‘A Hard Grief’, his collection of twelve sonnets that stand testament to his creative outpourings during the Covid…

Caring For Our Discipline During Covid

Caring For Our Discipline During Covid Panel 1: Corona Time: Reading During the Pandemic This presentation will report on the results of a collaborative project that’s been running over…

The Research Excellence Framework 2021

The Research Excellence Framework Professor Greg Walker in conversation with Professor Gail Marshall and Dr Sally Barnden.

Future Perfect: How applying Linguistics in the real world moves the discipline forward

Future Perfect: How applying Linguistics in the real world moves the discipline forward Session description David Adger, Jennifer Smith, and Devyani Sharma each describe linguistics resources that they have created…

The Discipline in 2020

The Discipline in 2020 Contributors Professor Clare A. Lees, FEA, is the Director of the Institute of English Studies and Professor of Medieval Literature, School of Advanced Study, University…

Hosted by Newcastle University

Hosted by Newcastle University, UK on 5th-Fri 7th July 2017. You can find the full programme for the first English: Shared Futures Conference by clicking on the image.