Call for Educators Forum

Aim and Scope

Business Process Management (BPM) has become part of the curricula across a number of primary, secondary, professional, online, and in-company education programs.

The Educators Forum seeks to bring together educators within the BPM community for sharing resources for improving the practice of teaching BPM-related topics by exchanging experiences, bringing in cases, and discussing teaching innovations.

In this way, the Educators Forum also highlights the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as part of the BPM teaching practice in regard to the systematic inquiry about student learning, the habits and skills of scholars to work as teachers, and the support for young lecturers to obtain their qualifications.

Topics

The Educators Forum aims to be the meeting point for sharing and improving our BPM teaching in a dynamic way, far from more traditional research contributions. That is why we are open to all kinds of contributions, such as sharing new techniques, lessons learned, methodologies, case studies, systematic studies, empirical experiments, resources, materials, and tools. Contributions are welcome in the fields of teaching BPM contents, evaluating BPM contents, and the use of technology as a facilitator of BPM education.

The topics of interest for the Educators Forum include, but are not limited to:

• New active learning methodologies for teaching BPM
• Design and implementation of new resources for teaching BPM
• Novel assessment instruments for BPM contents
• Feedback approaches tailored for BPM courses
• Teaching procedural thinking
• Systematic studies of BPM in different education dimensions
• Best practices and lessons learned for teaching BPM
• New resources and smart learning environments for BPM contents
• BPM instructor professionalization and certification
• Teaching BPM for underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities
• Integrating indigenous perspectives into BPM teaching practices
• Integrating sustainability and circularity in BPM teaching
• Success case studies and application of BPM teaching practices
• Integrating generative AI and other innovative digital tools into BPM teaching
• Incorporating Ethics into BPM Content: Challenges, Approaches, and Educational Resources
• WACI (Wild And Crazy Ideas) for BPM teaching

Submission Guidelines

Authors are invited to submit original contributions written in English from research and practice following one of the indicated contribution types (BPM Education Research, BPM Teaching Cases, Educational Practice Insights, Tools/Resources Contribution, Assignment Contribution, Lightning Contribution) as detailed below. Submissions must have neither been published previously nor be simultaneously submitted to other conferences, workshops, or journals. Each submission should clarify the relation of the paper with the main topics of the forum, clearly state the problem being addressed, the goal of the contribution, the results achieved (if obtained), as well as the impact and benefits for the BPM educators community.

Submissions of all contribution types must follow the Springer LNBIP format. Full papers may not exceed 15 pages while short papers may not exceed 8 pages, including all materials and bibliography. Papers must be submitted electronically in PDF format via the BPM 2026 EasyChair submission site by selecting “BPM 2026 Educators Forum”. Please indicate the contribution type during paper submission via EasyChair.

Submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review process in line with BPM conference standards and have to be prepared accordingly. Each submission will be thoroughly reviewed by three PC members. The paper selection will be based on the relevance of a paper to the main topics listed above, alignment to the type of the contribution indicated based on the criteria described for each contribution type, and its quality and potential to generate relevant discussions.

All forum papers will be published by Springer in a proceedings volume in the series Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing (LNBIP). For a paper to appear in the proceedings, at least one author has to register and present the paper during the forum. All registration procedures and logistics information are managed directly by the BPM conference.

Detailed Information on Contribution Types

1. BPM Education Research

This category includes reports on any research conducted by the author(s) related to Business Process Management (BPM) education. This may encompass, but is not limited to, the development or validation of theories, models, or frameworks, action research, and educational experiments. It also covers conceptual work supported by theoretical or empirical evidence, as well as literature review articles that contribute to advancing knowledge in BPM teaching and learning.

Papers of research type will be assessed based on:

• Relevance and originality: The extent to which the research addresses critical gaps in BPM education and contributes new insights or approaches to teaching and learning.
• Clarity and coherence: How well the paper presents its arguments, including the clarity of its objectives, research questions, and methodology, as well as its ability to communicate findings effectively.
• Methodological rigor: The soundness and appropriateness of the research design, data collection, and analysis methods employed. This includes the transparency and justification of the chosen approach.
• Theoretical, empirical, and practical contribution: The paper’s ability to advance BPM education by presenting a strong theoretical framework, aligning with empirical findings (if applicable), and offering innovative theories, models, or frameworks that influence teaching practices, curricula, and provide actionable insights for educators and practitioners.

2. BPM Teaching Cases

We invite BPM teaching cases that showcase real-world scenarios, challenges, or problems. All teaching case submissions should be accompanied by supporting teaching notes (at least 5 pages). These cases should present practical, real-life examples or anonymized/hypothetical situations of BPM in practice, offering students opportunities to engage with complex issues and apply theory in a problem-solving context. The teaching notes should provide guidance on leading discussions, key learning objectives, potential solutions, and common pitfalls. We encourage alignment with guidelines such as Farhoomand (2004)¹ and Sipior et al. (2021)². Only the teaching case will be published in the proceedings.

Papers of teaching case type will be evaluated based on:

• Relevance and Applicability: The real-world value of the teaching case for BPM educators and students, along with how the teaching notes guide effective use in the classroom.
• Clarity and Detail: How clearly the teaching case is presented, including a comprehensive description of the problem, context, and key issues, alongside structured and practical teaching notes.
• Engagement Potential: The ability of the teaching case to foster active student participation, critical thinking, and problem-solving in a classroom setting.
• Alignment with BPM Theory and Practice: How the case connects to established BPM theories or frameworks, ideally aligned with common BPM curriculum topics.

¹ Farhoomand, A. (2004). Writing Teaching Cases: A Reference Guide. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 13(1), 47.

² Sipior, J. C., Granger, M., & Farhoomand, A. (2021). Writing a Teaching Case and Teaching Note: A Reference Guide. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 49(1), 35.

3. Educational Practice Insights

This paper type invites contributions that share valuable insights gained from applying specific teaching or evaluation approaches to BPM education. It includes practical lessons learned, tips for success, and pitfalls to avoid, helping to guide others in similar educational settings. Examples of relevant approaches and methodologies include, but are not limited to:

• Flipped Classroom: Discussing the benefits and challenges of reversing traditional learning environments by having students engage with content at home (e.g., via videos or readings) and using classroom time for active discussions and problem-solving.
• Problem-Based Learning: Sharing experiences of using real-world problems as the basis for learning, where students collaborate to find solutions, often promoting critical thinking and practical application of BPM concepts.
• Project-Based Learning: Discussing the integration of long-term projects where students work in teams to tackle BPM challenges, with a focus on hands-on learning and the development of practical skills
• Gamification: Exploring the use of game-like elements (such as points, levels, and competitions) in the BPM classroom to motivate students and enhance engagement.
• Collaborative Learning: Describing how students work together to solve problems or complete projects, emphasizing teamwork and peer-to-peer learning.
• Adaptive Learning Technologies: Investigating how technology tools that personalize learning paths can be used to support different learning styles and paces in BPM education.
• Case-Based Teaching: Analysing how real-life BPM case studies or simulations can be used to teach concepts and theories, highlighting both successes and challenges in implementation.

These examples should illustrate a novel or clever idea about BPM teaching approaches and focus on sharing what worked well and what did not, so others can benefit from those experiences.

Papers of this type will be assessed based on:

• Innovation and Originality: The degree to which the teaching approach or methodology is novel or demonstrates a creative solution to a common challenge in BPM education.
• Practical Relevance: How well the insights shared are applicable to real-world teaching contexts, and the potential impact on improving BPM education in diverse settings.
• Clarity and Detail: The depth of analysis and the clarity of the lessons learned, tips, and pitfalls shared. A well-structured paper that clearly outlines the methodology, challenges faced, and how they were overcome will be highly valued.
• Evidence of Effectiveness: Concrete evidence, such as student feedback, assessment results, or comparative analysis, that demonstrates the impact of the teaching approach on learning outcomes.

4. Tools/Resources Contribution

Showcases of innovative BPM education tools, services, software, and applications, as well as resources like course structures, slides, videos, datasets, and benchmarks A link to the material and demo videos showing the use of the tool is highly encouraged for these types of submissions.

Submissions of this type will be evaluated based on:

• Innovation and uniqueness: The originality and novelty of the tool, resource, or application in addressing BPM education challenges and enhancing learning experiences.
• Quality of supporting materials: The clarity and usefulness of demo videos, documentation, or guides provided to help users understand and effectively apply the tool or resource.
• Usability, accessibility, and potential impact: The ease with which instructors and students can integrate and use the tool or resource in a real educational setting, as well as its relevance and effectiveness in enhancing BPM teaching practices, fostering student engagement, and improving learning outcomes. The tool’s potential to be widely adopted or adapted in various BPM education contexts, including its scalability and flexibility.

5. Assignment Contribution

This category invites innovative BPM assignments that help educators assess and engage students in diverse BPM topics. Submissions can include alternative assessment methods, project-based evaluations, or creative ways to test understanding, promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical BPM application. We encourage all submissions to include links to assignment templates, rubrics, and examples, as well as any supporting materials such as student feedback or reflection on the assignment’s effectiveness.

Submissions of this type will be evaluated based on:

• Innovation and Creativity: The originality and uniqueness of the assignment in addressing BPM learning objectives, and the use of novel assessment methods to evaluate student understanding.
• Alignment with BPM Learning Goals: How well the assignment aligns with BPM education goals, supporting key BPM concepts and helping students develop critical skills needed in the field.
• Engagement and Challenge: The potential of the assignment to encourage student engagement, promote active learning, and challenge students to apply BPM concepts in real-world scenarios.
• Clarity and Structure: The organization and clarity of the assignment, including well-defined instructions, assessment criteria, and expected learning outcomes.
• Practicality and Applicability: The ease with which other educators can adopt or adapt the assignment in their own BPM courses, including considerations for different class sizes, teaching environments, and student skill levels.

6. Lightning Contribution

This category invites contributions exploring preliminary work, untested ideas, or opportunities for collaboration. Lightning Contributions are intended to spark discussion, seek feedback, or find collaborators, and will not include mature or fully developed work.

Submissions of this type will be evaluated based on:

• Originality and Innovation: The novelty of the idea and its potential to open new avenues for BPM Education research or practice.
• Potential for Collaboration: The opportunity the contribution offers for collaboration or joint research, and its ability to engage others in the BPM community.
• Clarity and Focus: How clearly the idea is presented and the specific goals for feedback or collaboration are articulated.
• Relevance: The alignment of the idea with current trends, challenges, or gaps in BPM education or practice.