MODE2027: Motion Design Education Summit 2027: Breakout Catapult by CapitaLand & National University of Singapore Singapore, Singapore, June 10-12, 2027

We are delighted to announce that the MODE 2027 Motion Design Education Summit will be held in Singapore, hosted by the National University of Singapore. Set at the crossroads of culture, technology, and design, Singapore offers an extraordinary backdrop for this next gathering of motion design educators, researchers, and practitioners from around the world.

​Our 2027 theme, BREAKOUT, calls us to move beyond inherited boundaries. Break out of disciplinary silos. Break out of default workflows. Break out of pedagogical habits that no longer serve our students. In a city known for architectural audacity and forward-thinking innovation, we will explore how motion design education can expand, connect, and transform.

Singapore is a place where vertical gardens climb into the sky, where historic neighbourhoods coexist with luminous digital façades, and where global ideas circulate at high speed. Attendees will experience iconic landmarks such as Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay skyline, alongside vibrant creative districts and world-class museums. The city’s thriving animation, media, and interactive industries make it a living laboratory for conversations about motion, systems, storytelling, and emerging technologies.

MODE 2027 invites proposals that embody the spirit of breakout: new research models, experimental teaching frameworks, cross-cultural collaborations, technological provocations, and critical reflections on where motion design education is headed next. Mark your calendar. Step beyond the frame. Join us in Singapore for MODE 2027 and be part of a global conversation that refuses to stand still.

All abstract submissions should have a strong relationship to motion design in order to be accepted to the conference and included in the 2027 proceedings. We will begin accepting submissions on 1 August 2026.

Proposal Abstracts

Proposals for papers and workshops are submitted in the form of an abstract. Abstract submission must include a working title, an abstract, a broad outline, 5–7 keywords, and references. The abstract should be between 400–600 words, excluding references. Please indicate the format (long/short paper or workshop) of your proposal when submitting it.

Review of paper abstract proposals will follow a double-blind peer review process. Do not include any direct author-identifying information in the body of the abstract. It may be necessary to include the name of the project, the institution, etc., which is permissible.

Workshop proposals will be reviewed by a sub-committee of organisers led by the MODE committee. Proposals are peer-reviewed, but the process will not be blind.

Once the peer review is complete, authors will be notified if the proposal is accepted for the next stage of development into a short or long paper or workshop.

Details for final papers and workshop plans (due in March 2027)

Long papers are appropriate for finished research projects, design case studies, pedagogical innovations, and design criticism. Long papers should report original work not previously published elsewhere. Submissions must identify and cite relevant published work and explain how the paper furthers motion design education and/or impact on professional practice. Full papers will be expected to be around 4,000 to 6,000 words. Presentations of long papers are tentatively 25 minutes. Any Q&A is part of this allotted time.

Short papers are appropriate for new and emerging projects. Short papers may be installations, interactive experiences, hands-on experiences, short research-based films, and motion technologies. They may be based on games, animations, prototypes, or performances as case studies of original work or classroom assignments. The purpose of the short paper is to provide in-progress research as a platform for discussion, debate, conversation, and critique. Short papers will be expected to be around 2,500 words. Presentations of short papers are tentatively 10 minutes. Any Q&A is part of this allotted time.

Final paper submissions must include a revised abstract and title, 5–7 keywords, author bio(s), paper content, and works cited in MLA format. Figures, imagery, and accompanying motion media are strongly encouraged. At least one author should plan to attend and present at MODE 2027 in person. All accepted papers will be published in the 2027 conference proceedings. A formatting guide will be provided for paper structure. Presentations of papers may be recorded and shared on our Vimeo account.

Workshop sessions act as an extension of the conference experience, allowing attendees to be participants. They give presenters an opportunity to interact with attendees over the course of 60-90 minutes. Workshops can be interactive, discussion-based, and/or process-driven. We invite workshop proposals that will engage participants in motion design, motion design education, or a related field of study. Please consider possible facilities and technologies that may be needed and workarounds if unavailable. Workshop conveners and descriptions are included in the proceedings, and video may be captured for online viewing at a later date.

Round table discussions are focused, collaborative sessions that draw together educators, researchers, practitioners, and graduate students to examine emerging issues in motion design, design education, technology, and visual communication. Each round table is centered around a topic proposed by a moderator designed to stimulate critical dialogue, collective inquiry, and interdisciplinary exchange. Moderators shape and direct the discussion by submitting a proposal abstract that details the central theme, relevant subtopics, key questions, and issues crucial to the field. Topics can include pedagogy, research methods, industry shifts, ethics, accessibility, emerging technologies, cultural perspectives, or creative practice. These discussions aim to encourage participation, incorporate diverse viewpoints, and foster the sharing of experiences, strategies, and insights. Facilitators will manage live conversations during the summit, record key points, and synthesize ideas into a brief follow-up paper that reflects community-generated scholarship and current discourse, published on the MODE Society Wiki by September 1, 2027, thereby contributing to an evolving archive of research and ideas.

Proposals for these round tables should encompass a title, moderator information, and an abstract of 300 to 500 words. The abstract must define the topic, its relevance, proposed subtopics, critical issues or opportunities, engagement strategies, and preliminary sources. These round tables are envisioned as dynamic environments—a blend of seminar, workshop, and intellectual gathering—that function as living laboratories of ideas, encouraging lively exploration and exchange beyond conventional presentations.

Peer review and proceedings committee co-chairs

• Andre Mūrnieks, Senior Lecturer, Massey University
• Heather Shaw, Professor, Lesley University

Publication

MODE2027 proceedings will be published by MODE Society. Previous publications can be found at:

• MODE 2015, Dublin
• MODE 2017, Columbus
• MODE 2019, Wellington
• MODE 2021, Boston & Singapore (virtual)
• MODE 2023, Philadelphia
• MODE 2025, Prague

Venue

The MODE 2027 Summit takes place at the Catapult by CapitaLand & National University of Singapore from 10–12 June 2027.

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to Heather (hshaw@lesley.edu) or Andre (a.murnieks@massey.ac.nz)