Join us in Christchurch this September for NZ’s first EA Summit!
Whether you’ve been involved with EA for years, or are working in a relevant area and are keen to explore, this is the best NZ opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and discover actionable ways to make an impact. You can expect:
World-class speakers covering a broad range of cause areas, including global health, disaster-resilient food systems, AI safety, economics of charitable behavior, chicken welfare, and regulatory reform. These speakers bring deep connections to Aotearoa and diverse perspectives from both within and outside traditional EA circles.
Spark collaborations and 1 on 1 meetings through our dedicated swapcard app.
Leave with a network of professional contacts to easily reach out to for informal project feedback.
Application Process
Applications are open now—don’t miss your chance to attend! Here’s what you can expect:
Complete a short application (~5-15 minutes). We collect basic details about your interests, engagement with effective altruism or other relevant experience.
Our team will review your application. We aim to be in touch within 10 business days.
Register for the conference (~10 minutes). If you are accepted, you’ll receive an email with a link to register and confirm your place at the conference. You’ll be asked for dietary requirements and other logistic details such as if you are interested in volunteering.
If you want to attend but are unsure whether this event is for you, please apply anyway!
Programme
Doors open 8.30am with the first talk beginning at 9am on Saturday. The agenda will include:
Talks and workshops by domain experts on pressing global challenges and solutions with insights and opportunities unique to New Zealanders.
Meetups and social activities
Opportunity for 1 on 1s with other attendees
We’re in the process of designing the event program and want to hear from you! If you have ideas for speakers or topics, let us know through our speaker referral form. We are interested in speakers with deep domain expertise, regardless of whether they have previously attended an EA conference or not.
Full event details will be available in the Swapcard app closer to the conference. Swapcard also makes it easy to connect with other attendees, and many find these connections to be one of the most rewarding outcomes of the conference. We recommend using Swapcard to message others and arrange 1-on-1 meetings a week or two before the event begins!
Ticket Pricing
(includes entry, Swapcard access, lunch and general catering):
Supporter: $120
General: $60 (Earlybird apply by August 3rd: $30)
Student: $40 (Earlybird apply by August 3rd - $20)
Volunteers: Free
If ticket price does not meet your budget in a way that will impact your ability to come to the conference and/or you are flying from the north island please email the organisers at summit@effectivealtruism.nz to discuss pricing.
Offering to volunteer will not impact your likelihood of acceptance to the summit.
FAQ
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The Summit is ideal for
EA-curious working professionals, tertiary students and academics
Newcomers ready to take action and explore how EA principles can guide impactful decisions in your career and life
EA community members looking to strengthen connections and share expertise within New Zealand
Experienced EAs interested in supporting NZ efforts while expanding their network
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We try to make our events accessible to everyone. Please ask at summit@effectivealtruism.nz if you have questions about accessibility or if you need us to make any accommodations.
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Catered food at our events is typically vegan. Any non-vegan or allergy-specific food will be labeled. Each event will share a participant guide with accepted attendees shortly before the conference, which will cover many logistics, including more information about food at the conference.
If you need to bring your own food, we are usually able to help you with refrigerator space — please ask at summit@effectivealtruism.nz
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We've found that attendees get much more value from summits and conferences if they prepare in advance.
Here are some concrete steps you can take to prepare for the summit itself:
Make a list of your priorities — what you’d like to get out of the conference
Make a plan of action based on those priorities
Follow the instructions in the emails you’re getting and make yourself a profile on Swapcard (our event app)
Look through other people’s profiles and connect with those you’d like to meet with or who share your interests
Look through sessions on the agenda and register for the ones you’d like to attend (and bookmark the ones you’re interested in but which you’re less sure about)
Be realistic - plan in adequate time to rest, refuel and to have spontaneous conversations
Read Forum posts tagged “effective altruism conferences” for lots more tips on how to get the most out of attending a conference
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EAGx conferences help people who already have some EA context accelerate their path to impact. Recruiting less engaged people and driving growth is an outcome we see, but it isn’t a core focus. EA Summits, on the other hand, have “introduce EA concepts” and “inspire newcomers to get involved” as primary goals alongside serving those already in impactful positions.
To facilitate newcomers joining and help get them up-to-speed, the Summit will have a minimal application process, introductory content, and a strong cohort of mentors to guide and provide context. We also aim to make the event worth attending for mentors by providing other opportunities for them.
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Refunds are possible for certain events up to a few weeks before the event. Please check the relevant event page for details. If you believe you are eligible for a refund, please contact us at admissions@eaglobal.org.
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In general, attendees are responsible for booking their own accommodation.
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Swapcard is the app we use for our events. Attendees use it to:
Look at the agenda and register for the content sessions they’d like to attend
Make a profile to help you connect with other attendees - you can say what you do, what you’re interested in talking about, what ideas or expertise you can give others, and how to contact you
Request 1-1 or small group meetings with other attendees - choose the people, the time, and the meeting point
Send messages to coordinate with other attendees, during and after the conference
Find key information about the event, such as the attendee guide, map, wifi, jobs board, or what time food is being served
Once your application has been accepted to the conference, you'll be given access to the event Swapcard page roughly 1-2 weeks before the event.
Contact
If you know someone who might want to attend the conference, please share this event with them and encourage them to apply! Email us at summit@effectivealtruism.nz with any comments, suggestions, or questions that are not answered in the FAQs.
See you there!