April 17–19 | Phoenix Convention Center

Call for Proposals

Open July 22–September 14, 2026

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Proposal Guidelines Tracks Frequently Asked Questions Apply

As our leading higher ed conference moves to a new city to connect with our nationally dispersed membership, we invite you to share your insights with HLC’s community in pursuit of innovation and continuous improvement.  

Guidelines

Please create and submit your proposal in the submission portal. After you create an account and log in, a task list will guide you through prompts to complete your proposal. Read about the information you’ll be asked to provide. You may save and continue your draft as needed. Keep in mind:

  • You may have up to three presenters per presentation. 
  • All presentations will be delivered entirely in person at the conference in Phoenix. 
  • Abstracts should accurately reflect the content you plan to present. 
  • HLC encourages proposals on overcoming challenges related to accreditation. However, we will not select proposals related to monitoring or other follow up activity that is ongoing for the institution at the time of selection. We will not select proposals from HLC-accredited institutions that are not in good standing with HLC. 
  • Proposals that feature tools, products, or services available for purchase by colleges and universities are not appropriate to submit through this proposal process. HLC’s Sponsor Prospectus will be available in fall 2026 outlining options for showcase presentations. 
  • By submitting a proposal, you agree to the Terms and Conditions for Participation. 

We encourage presentations that:

  • Demonstrate measurable impact
  • Foster interactive, engaging, open discussions
  • Offer takeaways for multiple types of institutions
  • Provide new insights in the field
  • Have clear and specific titles and descriptions
  • Are related to the tracks
  • Feature multiple perspectives

What’s New?

In addition to our new location, we’ve made a few adjustments to the Higher Learning program in response to your feedback. In 2027, the conference General Program will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday evening and conclude at 5 p.m. on Monday. There will be no programming on Tuesday. Preconference programs will still happen on Saturday before the General Program.

We’re piloting limited slots of 75-minute sessions to allow more time for activities and engagement, and we also welcome 45-minute sessions that take an advanced look at certain topics. In your proposal submission, you’ll select a preferred session length and provide details about the level of familiarity attendees should have with your topic. 

Presentation Tracks

Please note: These presentation topics are intended as examples to guide you in selecting a track. This is not a comprehensive list of presentation topics within each track, nor an indication of which proposals HLC will select.

Institutional Experiences With Accreditation

How does your institution engage in ongoing activities and reviews to meet HLC requirements and pursue continuous improvement? 

  • Advancing quality through implementation of the 2025 Criteria for Accreditation 
  • Capitalizing on mission and vision in the accreditation process 
  • Reimagining the role of Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALOs) as institutional change leaders 
  • Demonstrating quality across multi-campus, online and hybrid learning environments 
  • Building support and capacity for the accreditation process across the institution 
  • Promoting a culture of quality beyond compliance and reporting 
  • Sharing lessons learned from evaluations, substantive change, and monitoring  
  • Developing, implementing, and measuring impact of quality initiatives  
  • Using emerging technologies to strengthen accreditation processes 

Student Learning and Success 

How does your institution provide meaningful, transformative learning and support students’ progress toward goals across evolving educational and workforce needs? 

  • Redefining success for today’s learners and tomorrow’s workforce 
  • Creating learner-centered environments that foster engagement  
  • Implementing effective teaching and assessment practices that promote improvement of student learning 
  • Using analytics and student success data to improve outcomes 
  • Enhancing teaching, learning and student support through AI and digital tools 
  • Advancing mental health, well-being and holistic student development 
  • Supporting learners across modalities, locations and educational pathways 
  • Reimagining faculty development for emerging pedagogies and technologies that serve the unique needs of faculty  
  • Advancing workforce-relevant learning, microcredentials and competency-based education 
  • Bridging academic affairs, student affairs and support services  
  • Designing inclusive learning environments for changing student populations 
  • Preparing learners for civic engagement, career success and lifelong learning 
  • Developing sustainable funding models for student success, academic support and learner engagement initiatives  

Future-Focused Institutional Improvement 

How does your institution redefine quality, leverage evidence to demonstrate institutional improvement and build resilient cultures that strive for excellence in an era of rapid change? 

  • Demonstrating institutional value to students, employers, policymakers, and communities 
  • Strengthening public trust, transparency, and accountability in higher ed 
  • Improving data governance, analytics, and evidence-informed decision-making 
  • Using AI and emerging technologies to strengthen your effectiveness  
  • Maintaining mission-focused improvement amid leadership and organizational transitions 
  • Partnering with students in institutional improvement 
  • Building data literacy and using dashboards, metrics and reporting tools to evaluate the effectiveness of programs, services and initiatives  
  • Aligning assessment, planning, budgeting and resource allocation processes 
  • Integrating quality assurance activities across academic, student affairs, and administrative units 
  • Using cost modeling, forecasting, and analysis of financial risks to guide institutional improvement decisions 

Advances in Leadership and Strategy  

How does your institution navigate disruption, seize opportunities, innovate and build sustainable futures in an increasingly complex higher ed landscape? 

  • Maximizing strategic foresight, scenario planning and future-oriented leadership 
  • Planning for future financial sustainability and mission-driven resource stewardship 
  • Implementing data-informed, strategic approaches to prepare for enrollment, demographic and workforce shifts  
  • Building governance models that support agility, responsiveness and accountability 
  • Leading through uncertainty, disruption and change 
  • Developing AI strategy, governance and organizational readiness 
  • Building resilience through culture, collaboration and adaptive leadership 
  • Creating new partnership models, ecosystem approaches and cross-sector collaboration 
  • Balancing mission, innovation and sustainability in changing environments 
  • Advancing organizational effectiveness through talent development and succession planning 
  • Navigating changing regulatory, policy and funding expectations 

To highlight work from across the higher ed landscape, HLC staff may combine some proposals into joint panel sessions. Proposal submitters will receive more information on presentation formats once decisions are made in November.

Before You Apply

Submit a Proposal

Proposal submissions are due by September 14, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Start Your Proposal

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, all presenters must register for the conference as an attendee. However, presenters receive a discount on registration. Please refer to your proposal decision email which will be sent in November 2026 to ensure you receive the correct rate.  

We will send decisions by mid-November 2026.   

No. HLC accepts proposals from non-member institutions and nonprofit organizations.

Yes, an advisory committee reviews proposals as a key part of the selection process. Committee members are from HLC member institutions and make recommendations on proposals. Final decisions are made by HLC to ensure a balance of topics across institution types.  

To complete your proposal in the online portal, you’ll submit: 

  • Proposal title (10-word limit) 
  • Proposal type selection
  • Proposal track selection
  • Session format preference (45-minute or 75-minute presentation)
  • Participant experience level (foundational or advanced)
  • Presentation description (50-word limit) 
  • Description of session content and design 
  • Evidence and outcomes that support the presentation topic 
  • Attendee takeaways
  • Reasoning for track selection 
  • Presenter relationships to topic 

Address each prompt completely and specifically. The sample proposals can help you determine what to include. You can also submit optional supporting documents for additional context, but this should not replace information requested in the proposal. 

The conference tracks are intended as a guide to the overall topics for submission. Within each track, HLC is looking for presentations that address timely topics in an innovative way. Presentations should provoke thought and provide practical takeaways that can be applied at other institutions rather than simply describing an initiative. If a presentation includes practical application, it must be supported by data. 

The rubric provides an overview of what reviewers are looking for. Make sure all prompts are addressed with enough detail. We welcome proposals inclusive of multiple perspectives, and we encourage submissions with cross-functional or multiple institutional representation.  

For Higher Learning 2027, we will offer a limited number of 75-minute extended sessions in addition to typical 45-minute sessions. In your proposal submission, you’ll select your preference for the format that best supports your session content: 

  • 45-minute sessions focus on sharing institutional experiences, research, practices or lessons learned.  
  • 75-minute sessions (very limited slots available) should provide time for participant engagement through discussion, planning activities, case studies, exercises or other interactive learning experiences.  

75-minute sessions are intended to help attendees actively engage with the content through discussion, planning activities, case studies, problem-solving, peer exchange or other structured learning activities. The additional time should support interactive learning rather than just more content. Please note that there are limited slots available for these sessions, and there will be more availability for 45-minute sessions.

You’ll indicate your intended participant experience level in the submission portal. This should describe the background knowledge participants should have to benefit from your session. It is not a measure of the quality or sophistication of the work being presented. 

Foundational sessions help participants understand a concept, process, or practice and provide practical guidance they can adapt at their own institutions. 

Advanced concepts sessions build on established practices by examining complex situations, strategic decisions, competing approaches or emerging issues. 

Due to the volume of proposals we receive, we are not able to provide feedback on individual submission decisions.  

Yes. However, we strive to ensure balanced representation across our membership, so typically no more than two to three proposals are selected per institution.  

Presenter changes are subject to approval by HLC. You can add or remove presenters in the presenter portal (access provided after acceptance). If HLC is not notified about a presenter change, the presentation is subject to removal from the program.   

No, attendees will have access to your presentation through the conference website and mobile app. Additional handouts are not required, but supporting documents can also be uploaded to the app and additional information is typically appreciated by attendees.  

Questions?

[email protected]