A Preview of the International Population Conference in Brisbane

Brisbane, Australia, 13-18 July 2025


With just three weeks to go, preparations for the 30th International Population Conference (IPC2025) in Brisbane are in their final stages. Over 1,000 participants from around the globe are expected to gather for this major event, which runs from 13–18 July 2025.

 

Opening Events and Pre-Conference Activities
 

The conference officially kicks off with the Opening Ceremony on Sunday, 13 July at 17:30, followed by a Welcome Reception from 19:00–21:00, generously hosted by our Australian partners. For those arriving early, pre-conference training sessions will be held at the University of Queensland on 11–12 July.
 

Scientific Programme
 

The scientific program begins on Monday, 14 July at 8:30, launching a full week of academic exchange with 205 sessions including four plenaries, invited sessions, Research Leader sessions, poster presentations, and training events. The programme will conclude on Friday afternoon (18 July) with a Closing and Awards Ceremony at 3:15 pm, featuring the announcement of the 2029 IPC host city, remarks by the incoming IUSSP President, Laura Rodriguez Wong, and a keynote from KG Santhya, recipient of the Mattei Dogan Award, as well as the announcement and presentation of the Best Poster Awards.


Browse the full programme online at ipc2025.popconf.org, where sessions are searchable by time, theme, or presenter—with links to abstracts and details.


Spotlight on Plenaries
 

IPC2025 addresses pressing global challenges through a series of topical plenaries:

 

  • Monday 14 July, 17:15 – 18:45
    UNFPA Plenary: A Population Data Emergency: The Silent Threat to Global Development
    Despite major advances in population data systems—from digital trace data to geospatial analytics—a silent emergency looms: a growing deficit in timely, reliable, and disaggregated data. This plenary highlights the urgent need to rebuild capacity, restore trust, and secure investment in foundational data infrastructure.
     
  • Tuesday 15 July, 13:30 – 15:00
    IUSSP Plenary: Global Threats to Sexual and Reproductive Health
    Topics include SRHR, gender-based rights, and abortion access.
    Chair: Ann Moore | Discussant: Zeba A. Sathar 
    •    Panelists: Alex C. Ezeh, Anju Malhotra, Elizabeth Sully.
     
  • Wednesday 16 July, 17:15 – 18:45
    Australia’s Population Story
    A focused look at demographic trends in Australia.
     
  • Thursday 17 July, 13:30 – 15:00
    IUSSP Plenary: Crises, Shocks and Resilient Populations: Coping with Harsh Realities
    Topics include climate change, conflict, pandemics, and economic shocks.
    Chair: Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi
    •    Speakers include: Roman Hoffmann, Orsola Torrisi, Natalie Nitsche, Cassio Turra, Arnstein Aassve.


Featured Research Leader Sessions

 

  • Free-Use Data for Research (Monday, 8:30 – 10:00)
    IPUMS Census & Survey Microdata & The CORESIDENCE Database
  • India’s Demographic Resilience (Monday, 10:30 – 12:00)
    Pathways to Economic Growth and Gender Dividend for a Developed India by 2047
    Chair: Andrea Wojnar (UNFPA India)
  • The Future of Population Registers (Monday, 15:30 – 17:00)
    Assessing inclusiveness and ethics in CRVS and ID systems.
    Chair: Laura Ferguson | Discussants: Sofia Gruskin, Keith Breckenridge
  • Application of the Degree of Urbanisation for Demographic Research and Policy (Tuesday, 10:30 – 12:00)
    How the DEGURBA method supports international urbanization comparisons.
  • Round Table on Moving on Moving Family Planning Measurement Forward (Tuesday, 15:30 – 17:00)
    A rights and justice lens on measuring family planning.
    Chairs: Ilene Speizer, Elizabeth Sully


Invited and Thematic Sessions of Note

 

  • Meet the Editors (Monday, 10:30 – 12:00)
    Learn how to publish in top population journals, with editors from Demography, Population Studies, Population and Development Review, Population and more
  • Building a Stronger Global Population Community (Tuesday, 17:15 – 18:45)
    A town hall on IUSSP’s Affiliated Institutions Program.
  • Regional Population Associations Roundtable (Thursday, 15:30 – 17:00)
    Leaders from ALAP, UAPS, APA, PAA, and EAPS on regional data challenges.
  • Kickstart Your Career in Demography (Thursday, 17:15 – 18:45)
    Early Career Award winners share their journeys and advice for emerging scholars.


Supporting Participation
 

Thanks to generous support from UNFPA, the Gates Foundation, and other sponsors, IUSSP has been able to fund participation for over 200 attendees from low- and middle-income countries, even amidst tightening budgets.


We are looking forward to reconnecting with members in Brisbane – it has been almost 8 years since the last in-person IPC2017 was held in Cape Town, South Africa.