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Die Zukunft ist ungeschrieben Aufkleber auf einem Laternenpfahl.

Writing Peer Tutor Conference (SPTK): Facing Change Together

30.09. - 02.10.2025

Welcome to the website of the SPTK 2025 in Berlin!

Since 2008, the SPTK has been organised by writing peer tutors (SPTs) from various writing centres across Germany. This student-led conference reflects the diverse, open, and collaborative spirit that defines academic writing counselling. Every year except during global pandemics) writing peer tutors come together to exchange ideas, share practical experiences from writing centres, workshops, labs, and other educational settings, and to build a strong network within the field. This year, we are delighted to welcome participants from writing centres in Austria and Switzerland as well.

In 2025, we are especially excited to host the 15th edition of the SPTK — for the first time ever in Berlin! We, the writing peer tutors of the Writing Centre at studierendenWERK BERLIN, are honoured to carry on this tradition and warmly invite you to join us from 30th  September to 2nd October 2025 on the campus of SRH University of Applied Sciences Berlin. This year's theme is: Facing Change Together.

Look forward to three days of stimulating knowledge exchange, engaging presentations, hands-on workshops, and lively discussions — all created by and for writing peer tutors. The event is generously supported by the Gesellschaft für Schreibdidaktik und Schreibforschung e.V. (gefsus).

Please submit your proposals by 30th June 2025.

All submission guidelines can be found in our Call for Papers.

More information, including the Call for Participation and the full conference programme, will be published here gradually — so stay tuned and check back regularly!

Let’s explore new perspectives and shape the future of student peer-to-peer writing counselling together.

We look forward to your contributions and to seeing you in Berlin!

Call for Papers als PDF

Since 2008, writing peer tutors (SPTs) at various German-language writing centers, writing workshops, writing labs and other writing didactic institutions are organizing the Writing Peer Tutor Conference (SPTK). This year the SPTK is taking place for the 15th time and for the very first time in Berlin.

During the conference, we would like to address the changes that are increasingly finding their way into our work as student writing counselors. It is important to us to actively address the processes of social and digital transformation that are currently taking place and to consciously shape the changes happening to us. We could deal with the following or similar questions: How is our situation as writing peer tutors changing right now? What do our different work realities currently look like and what challenges do we have to overcome? What do we see in the future of peer-to-peer writing counseling? How can student initiatives be sustainably organized and strengthened? What new forms and formats of counselling would you like to try out in the future? What are our visions for the future of student peer-to-peer writing counseling?

Possible topics for your contributions could be:

  • Ideas workshop: Instigating synergies, cooperation, networking and team building among writing peer tutors
  • How we can capture and transfer our shared counseling knowledge and prevent knowledge loss?
  • Which groups of students should receive more attention in counseling in the future?
  • As writing peer tutors, how can we tailor our counseling work better for different target groups?
  • Initiatives regarding diversity and/or awareness in peer-to-peer writing counseling
  • Exchange on the working realities of writing peer tutors
  • What opportunities and risks do generative AI tools pose for the writing and counseling process?
  • Strengths inventory: Dealing with crises, conflicts and feelings in student peer-to-peer writing counseling

Please feel free to bring further topics to the table that inspire you. We look forward to your contributions in time frames of 45 or 90 minutes. 45 minutes are suitable for a short keynote speech followed by a discussion, while 90 minutes are suitable for more elaborate workshops with group work. You are welcome to experiment with the formats as long as you stay within the selected time frame. You can submit contributions alone, in pairs or as a group. Presentations can be held in German and English. 

The organizing team of the SPTK 2025:

Ronja Bußmann, Bella Badt, Leonie Klose & Lisa Lehmann-Schimmler

To submit your contributions, please use the submission form.

Please have the following information ready for your submission:

  • Name(s) and e-mail address(es) of the speaker(s)
  • Duration of the presentation (45 or 90 minutes)
  • Information on the type of contribution (e.g. keynote speech, workshop, etc.)
  • Title of contribution (possibly subtitle)
  • Abstract (for publication in the programme booklet): max. 150 words
  • Short presentation of your contribution (e.g. presentation of project results or exercise or discussion, i.e. explain what you intend to do): approx. 300 words
  • Short biography of the speakers (max. 50 words per person)

You will receive confirmation by e-mail and information on the further procedure after you have sent your contribution. We will keep you up to date on the Call for Participation.

Do you have any questions about the submission process or the SPTK in general? Feel free to contact us at any time: schreibberatung@stw.berlin 

We look forward to hearing from you and are very excited about your contributions!

Documents for the conference

Files
pdf: Call for Papers SPTK 2025 Deutsch (nicht barrierefrei) (PDF | 137.05 KB)
pdf: Call for Papers SPTK 2025 Englisch (nicht barrierefrei) (PDF | 114.60 KB)
docx: Formular_Einreichung_Beiträge_SPTK25_EN (nicht barrierefrei) (DOCX | 75.78 KB)

FAQ

Until 30th June, you can only register for participating in the conference with a contribution. Registration for the conference itself will take place later via this page. If you want to take part in the conference without a contribution, check back in July. We will then also provide information on travelling, accessibility and many other questions.

Yes, it is possible for writing peer tutors to contact the Society for Writing Didactics and Writing Research (gefsus) directly with enquiries about travel grants.

The gefsus can financially support the travel of peer tutors who are themselves members of the gefsus (or whose writing centre is a member). The prerequisite for such travel funding is

  1. that no travel expenses are reimbursed by the home university,
  2. that the cheapest travel option is chosen (e.g. early booking rail fare, inexpensive accommodation in the recommended quarters),
  3. that the expected costs are calculated and
  4. that the application is justified by a short, informal letter of motivation sent by e-mail.

Please send your applications to gesellschaft@schreibdidaktik.de by 8th September 2025 with the subject line ‘Reisekostenantrag SPTK 2025’. Applications received after this date cannot be considered.

If there are not enough funds to reimburse all applicants for the full travel expenses, priority will be given to those who are involved in the SPTK with a contribution (e.g. workshop, lecture, input). Please also indicate this in your letter of motivation.

Feedback on the amount of funding will be provided by 15th September 2025 and reimbursement can be made after the SPTK as soon as the relevant receipts have been submitted.

Conference location

SRH University of Applied Sciences
Campus Berlin
Sonnenallee 221
12059 Berlin

Further information on SRH University of Applied Sciences

Contact

Phone: +49 (0)30 - 93939 - 8426 / -8411

E-mail: schreibberatung@stw.berlin