Welcome to
The CARN International Conference
ACTION RESEARCH BEYOND BORDERS AND DIVIDES
Umeå University, Sweden, 9 - 11 November, 2007

This is the first CARN Conference organised in a Scandinavian country. The chosen theme of the conference is significant also from that perspective. Participants will, geographically, come close to or might even cross the Arctic border and academically we foresee many intellectual border crossings!

Umeå University is a rather young university and has demonstrated an international engagement in education and research beyond many horizons since its birth in the 1960s. Our intention is to make the CARN International Conference 2007 into another border crossing event that will strengthen links beyond present divides. It is also for this reason that the conference is without preset sub-themes.

The organisation of the conference will be based on the presenters' outlines in such a way that sessions will be composed to encourage maximum border crossings in all possible ways related to practical educational concerns, methodological diversities, research perspectives, and educational visions for the future, based on the aim to learn from each other in collaboration.

Based on the welcoming and inviting CARN ethos we will create opportunities for old and new CARN delegates to meet on an informal basis at least twice during the conference through the 'Collaborative Groups'. The collaborative group will discuss issues that the participants have indicated themselves on the registration form.

Sessions are normally carried out in English. Therefore, the conference organisers will develop a system for language support throughout the conference. The language support will work through a system with 'language friends'. A delegate who needs language support in preparing his/her own presentation and in understanding other presentations will be allocated a 'language friend' knowledgeable in the delegate's mother tongue as well as English. Indicate on the registration form if you are in need of this support.

The CARN Conference will also integrate our common action research interests with cultural events to further emphasis the needs for border crossings.

We hope that your visit to Umeå University and your participation in the CARN Conference will create new insights and inspirations for future endeavours within the field of action research, beyond borders and divides!

For the organising committee