Speakers being chosen for Ipswich's first TEDx event


Date
13 April 2026
Time to read
4 minute read
The exterior of the Waterfront Building with a sign which says 'University of Suffolk' visible
The University of Suffolk has been granted a licence to host Ipswich's first TEDx event

The University of Suffolk has been awarded a licence to host Ipswich's first-ever TEDx event on Thursday 1 October.

Part of the global TEDx programme, the event will give researchers with a Suffolk connection a high-profile opportunity to inspire a public audience by explaining how their work can change lives.
 
Each talk is limited to 15 minutes, so speakers must be able to present their ideas and evidence concisely. The University of Suffolk event will showcase the innovative work of six different speakers across wide-ranging subject areas.
 
The licence has been awarded under the broad theme ‘Building a better Suffolk’ and any research with the potential to deliver positive change to individuals or communities will be considered.
 
Speakers will be chosen from the University of Suffolk, university alumni, former staff and external researchers. 
 
Any researcher who would like to be considered to speak at the event is invited to submit a 300 word abstract and a one-minute video outlining the content and introduction to their talk by Friday 1 May, using this form.
 
Please submit the video introducing your talk to Andreea Tocca, Head of Research Culture and Knowledge Exchange, A.tocca@uos.ac.uk and Jason Eghan, Events Manager, at j.eghan@uos.ac.uk . 

A panel chaired by Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Professor Emma Bond, will select the speakers, who will be informed by the end of May.
 
Professor Emma Bond said: “Hosting a prestigious TEDx event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the fantastic research taking place in Suffolk and for our speakers to share their ground-breaking work to show how it is making a real difference to people's lives and the world we live in.”
 
The event on 1 October starting at 5.30pm (doors open 5.00pm) is open to the public and is limited by TEDx to 100 tickets. It will be recorded and posted to the TEDx YouTube channel. Tickets will be released in August and cost £10 each.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event 
In the spirit of discovering and spreading ideas, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.) 
 
 
About TED 
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community. 
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze $6.6 billion in funding for projects that support bold solutions to the world's most urgent challenges — working to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives. 
Follow TED on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X. 

For press enquiries, please contact: press@uos.ac.uk