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International Symposium of Science Museums 2026
The National Science Museum of Korea annually hosts the International Symposium of Science Museums (ISSM), providing a leading forum for exploring key issues and advancing dialogue within the science museum community. We warmly welcome the participation of all those with an interest in science museums.
The International Symposium of Science Museums (ISSM) Academic Session is Korea's largest conference specializing in science museums, dedicated to sharing innovative research and field case studies in the global science communication sector. Held annually to promote academic advancement and strengthen practical capabilities in the science museum field, the conference discovers and shares not only original research papers but also vivid operational and educational case studies directly from the field.
< Key Changes for the 2026 Symposium >
| Track | Examples |
|---|---|
| Exhibition | Exhibition techniques utilizing the latest trends and technologies, construction of cyber exhibition platforms, special temporary exhibitions, etc. |
| Education | Analysis of the effectiveness of science museum education as informal science education, revitalization of out-of-school education, etc. |
| Research | Connectivity between science museums and various research fields such as science, technology, humanities, social sciences, arts, and culture, etc. |
| Policy & Management | Visitor characteristic data analysis, digitization of museum collections, policy development related to science museum operations, etc. |
| Event & Communication | Public communication through science events, promotion and expansion of science and technology culture, etc. |
※ Results of collaborative projects with external agencies/contractors for each track are also eligible for submission.
※ The examples above are provided solely to help participants understand the scope of each track.
| Required Documents | Submission Method |
|---|---|
| Participant's Basic Information | Online Entry (Fill out and register basic information under Academic Session > Application tab.) |
| Abstract for Presentation | Online File Upload (Download the template under Academic Session > Application tab, fill it out, and upload the file.) Volume : Up to 3 pages for General Sessions / Up to 1 page for Poster Sessions |
| KCI Plagiarism Check Report (Korea Citation Index) | Online File Upload (Submit under Academic Session > Application tab as plagiarism check evidence) ※ KCI Plagiarism Check Service (http://check.kci.go.kr) ※ Settings : 5 consecutive words, include citations, include source-marked sentences, exclude contents/references ※ Disqualified in the 1st-round evaluation if similarity index is 20% or higher. |
※ Submission templates can be downloaded from the ISSM official website (www.issm.or.kr).
※ All submissions must be completed and uploaded through the ISSM official website.
※ Presenters of selected papers will be required to submit their presentation materials separately at a later date.
| Category | Submission (Jul 6 ~ Sep 11, 2026) |
1st-Round Evaluation | 1st-Round Results | 2nd-Round Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | Official Website (www.issm.or.kr) |
Document Review | Selection of Oral Presenters (Transferred to poster presentation if not selected) |
On-site Evaluation |
| Poster | Selection of Presentation Papers |
| Type | Awards | Track | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prize | Awarded by the Minister of Science and ICT | General Session (5 Tracks) & Poster Session (6 Tracks in Total) |
6 | 1st place in each track (6) |
| Excellence Prize |
Awarded by the Director of the National Science Museum (4) Awarded by the Director of the National Gwacheon Science Museum (4) Awarded by the Director of the National Gwangju Science Museum (4) Awarded by the Director of the National Daegu Science Museum (4) Awarded by the Director of the National Busan Science Museum (4) Awarded by the President of the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC) (4) |
24 | 2nd to 5th place in each track (24) | |
| Special Award* | Awarded by the Director of the National Science Museum | - | 6 | Recommended by the evaluation committee (Not awarded if no qualified candidate is found) |
| Total | 36 | |||
* Special Award: Awarded to submissions that did not rank in the top evaluation scores but demonstrated exceptional originality and excellence. Granted based on the recommendation and unanimous consensus of the evaluation committee.
※ The details of the awards are subject to change based on the results of the evaluation and consultations with sponsoring organizations.
| Category | Evaluation Criteria (Points) | Detailed Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Main Criteria (100) |
Sincerity of Paper Preparation (10) | Was the research content prepared sincerely in accordance with the submission template and regulations? |
| Relevance of Research Topic (20) | Does the research topic align with the theme of this symposium? Are the research methods and data presentation appropriate for explaining and verifying the topic? |
|
| Practical Utility of Research Results (40) | Can the research results be utilized in science museum operations? Do the research results contribute to the popularization of science and provide academic contribution? |
|
| Originality of Research (30) | Is the topic and methodology creative and differentiated from existing research? | |
| Bonus Points | Research Collaboration (5) | Does the research involve two or more joint collaborative organizations or countries? |
※ In the event of a tie, priority will be given to the paper that received a higher score in the evaluation criteria with the higher point allocation.
※ The evaluation criteria for poster presentations are applied identically to the criteria listed above.
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