Event Details

Workshop hosted by Entrepreneurship and Strategy Department, LUMS

In academia, rejection is an inevitable part of the process—whether it’s a declined journal article, a rejected grant application, or critical peer review. Despite its frequency and normalcy, rejection remains a deeply personal and often painful experience. For many academics, it triggers feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, and self-doubt.

This emotional toll is intensified in the post-COVID era. The pandemic blurred the lines between work and home more than ever, collapsing office hours into evenings and weekends, and leaving little space for psychological recovery. With reduced in-person collaboration and fewer informal support networks, many researchers found themselves facing rejection in isolation. For early-career academics especially, the combination of professional uncertainty and increased pressure to perform in a disrupted environment has heightened the vulnerability that rejection brings.

In a time when boundaries are fragile and workloads have grown heavier, the sting of academic rejection has only deepened—making it more important than ever to acknowledge, normalize, and support each other through these shared challenges.

Overview of the Festival

The Festival of Rejections is a two-hour interactive workshop designed to normalize and destigmatize rejection in academic careers. This session brings together academics at various career stages to share candid stories of rejected papers. The goal is to foster resilience, reflection, and a sense of community through shared experiences.

Attendance by non-academic staff is highly encouraged, as participation in sharing and listening can help bridge understanding and strengthen a collaborative work environment

Purpose:

• Demystify rejection: Highlight that rejection is a common and constructive part of academic growth.
• Build solidarity: Encourage open dialogue about setbacks to reduce isolation and imposter syndrome.
• Share strategies: Provide practical advice on learning from rejection and moving forward.
• Support well-being: Offer tools for emotional resilience and self-compassion.

What to Expect:

• Storytelling Panels: Academics—from early career researchers to senior faculty—will share personal stories of rejection and how they navigated these challenges.
• Interactive Q&A: Engage with speakers to delve deeper into their experiences and lessons learned.
• Well-being Session: A well-being coach will lead a session on managing the emotional impact of rejection, offering coping strategies and techniques to safeguard mental health and resilience.

Agenda:

Time Session Description

10:00–10:15 AM Welcome & Introduction Opening remarks and overview of the workshop’s purpose and goals.

10:15–11:00 AM Rejection Stories Three academics of varying seniority share personal experiences of rejection.

11:00–11:30 AM Panel Discussion & Q&A Discussion on how to handle rejection and practical next steps.

11:30–12:00 PM Well-being Coach Session Session on emotional resilience and coping strategies.

12:00–1:00 PM Networking Lunch Informal lunch to connect, reflect, and continue the conversation.