ADALS 2026 · APAC Digital Inclusion & Accessibility Leadership Summit

Call for Speakers

We are inviting practitioners from across the Asia-Pacific to speak at ADALS 2026, the first edition of a leadership summit on Accessibility, Aging, and AI.

About ADALS 2026

ADALS 2026 is the first edition of the APAC Digital Inclusion and Accessibility Leadership Summit: a leadership-level gathering at the meeting point of AI, Aging, and Accessibility. It is convened by the APAC Authentic Inclusion Association (亞太包容創新協會) and held in Taipei on 17 and 18 September 2026.

Why now. The EU’s European Accessibility Act came into force in June 2025, putting immediate pressure on Asia-Pacific exporters. WCAG 2.2 is the current standard and WCAG 3.0 is still being written, yet no regional forum is turning either into local practice. And Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea are among the world’s fastest-aging societies, where technology-enabled accessibility, such as AI, is becoming a necessity rather than an option. ADALS exists to give the region its own table for these questions.

Who it is for. ADALS is being designed for senior leaders from across the Asia-Pacific: technology and product executives, policymakers, hardware manufacturers, accessibility professionals, and people from universities and the non-profit sector. It is a working summit aimed at practice and decisions, not a compliance workshop.

What we are looking for. Keynote sessions anchor each day. The open program of talks, panels, and workshops is where we want voices from across the region: practitioners with a real case to share. If that is you, we would like to hear from you.

Key dates

How proposals are reviewed
On a rolling basis. The earlier you submit, the better — the program fills up as strong proposals come in.
Final deadline
(Monday), or earlier if the program fills.
Notification of decision
Rolling; we usually respond within about two weeks of your submission.
Summit dates
–, Taipei

Before you start

A few things worth knowing before you fill this in:

  • Sessions run in English. ADALS 2026 is a pan-regional dialogue, so the working language is English. You do not need to be a native speaker — you do need to be comfortable presenting and taking part in discussion in English.
  • In person in Taipei. ADALS 2026 runs as an in-person summit; sessions are not streamed or held remotely. Taking part means joining us in Taipei on 17 and 18 September.
  • Thank you for your expression of interest. We read every proposal and will be in touch to talk through fit and format before anything is confirmed.

The program is built around five themes, and every proposal should sit somewhere in AI, Aging, and Accessibility, or where they meet. Your session should connect to one to three of them:

  1. Trust & Transparency — AI decisions, explainability, accountability, and the right to challenge automated systems.
  2. Who Can Use Daily Services? — access to everyday services (banking, health, transport, public services, ID), and the barriers that shut people out.
  3. Caregiving and Life in Old Age — how AI, services, and policy reshape independence, care, and risk as we age.
  4. Understanding and Being Understood — accessible communication across disability, language, cognition, culture, and generation.
  5. Embedding Accessibility in Governance — procurement, accountability, regulation, and organizational change.

On access and captioning. We want this to work for the people taking part. The speaker form has a field for access needs — please use it. Sessions will have live captions; if captions in a particular language would help you or your audience, tell us there. We would rather know early than guess.

Session formats

The open program runs in these formats (approximate lengths, from the draft program). Tell us which you are open to in the form — we will discuss the best fit with you after selection.

  • Talk — about 50 minutes, including audience Q&A. One speaker, one case or argument.
  • Fireside chat — about 50 minutes. Two people in conversation, moderated, with open Q&A.
  • Workshop — about 90 minutes. Hands-on and practical, with a smaller group.

What taking part includes

Speaking at ADALS 2026 includes:

  • A complimentary full pass to both summit days, including the networking reception.
  • A place on the program in front of the audience we are bringing together: regional leaders, policymakers, and practitioners, with your name, role, and session featured.
  • A recording of your session for your own use.
  • A formal letter of invitation on ADALS 2026 letterhead, suitable for your employer, institution, or a grant body to support a travel funding request.

Travel and honoraria

As a first-edition event, ADALS 2026 is not able to offer speaker honoraria or travel subsidies. Speakers cover their own travel and accommodation in Taipei.

If travel cost would decide whether you can take part, please tell us in the Notes field at the end of the form. We are exploring sponsor partnerships and want to know whose participation depends on it.

Time commitment

Speakers are not required to attend beyond their own session. You are warmly welcome to stay for the rest of the summit—but that is entirely optional.

Apply to speak

Proposals are submitted through our speaker form — it is in English and takes about ten minutes to complete.

Apply to speak →

Privacy note: the speaker form asks for personal information so ADALS can review proposals, plan the program and access arrangements, and contact applicants. Details are provided in the form before submission.

Questions before you start? Email claire.chang@apac-aia.org.