A person presenting at Higher Learning 2025

Present at Higher Learning 2026: Call for Proposals Opening 

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Higher Learning 2026, happening March 21–24 in Chicago, will look at who and what is shaping the future of higher ed. The conference will illustrate how institutions can pursue continuous improvement through accreditation and delve into high-quality, transformative educational experiences that meet the evolving needs of students and society. Join colleagues to exchange ideas, explore new strategies and gain skills that will enhance your institution’s impact and leadership. 

Have a presentation idea for the conference that can offer new insights and foster engaging, open discussions? Get ready to craft your proposal, because HLC will begin accepting submissions on Wednesday, July 16. The submission portal will be open through September 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT. Subscribe to our annual conference interest list to be notified via email when the application opens. 

Read the Proposal Submission Guide, understand the selection rubric and view sample proposals to help inform your submission.  

Presentation Tracks

We invite presentation proposals on initiatives that address:  

Institutional Experiences With Accreditation  

  • Actionable strategies and transferable insights (e.g. comprehensive evaluations, Year Four evaluations, substantive change, monitoring)   
  • Quality Initiative development, implementation and impact     
  • Using accreditation processes to drive ongoing institutional improvement  
  • Transitioning to the 2025 Criteria for Accreditation  
  • How ALOs overcome challenges while preparing for evaluations  
  • Building support and capacity across campus for the accreditation process  
  • The intersection of mission, vision and accreditation  
  • Maintaining accreditation work during leadership transitions  
  • Opportunities and challenges posed by emerging technologies in accreditation processes  
  • The role of accreditation in public trust and institutional accountability  

Teaching, Learning and Student Success  

  • Defining student success within the context of your institution’s mission  
  • Approaches to integrating academic affairs, student services and operations   
  • New and innovative teaching and learning models  
  • Assessing and improving student learning  
  • Degrees and short-term credentials in today’s marketplace  
  • Using emerging and adaptive technology for learning and student support  
  • Promoting access and achievement of students’ goals across modalities and locations   
  • Supporting mental health and wellbeing  
  • Faculty development for innovative practices  
  • Strategic use of data for teaching, learning and student success  

Building a Sustainable Future  

  • Aligning mission and purpose with the evolving higher ed landscape  
  • Strategic planning, program review/prioritization and other institutional effectiveness efforts  
  • Change leadership  
  • Cross-functional collaboration for shared governance and resource optimization  
  • Responding to evolving workforce development needs  
  • Strategic data use for institutional planning and improvement  
  • Developing and implementing strategic enrollment management plans  
  • Resource allocation for short-term progress and long-term viability  
  • Scenario planning for enrollment shifts and financial volatility  
  • Succession planning and leadership development  

In addition, we encourage presentations that:  

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

Stay Informed

Sign up for our email list to be notified when the call for proposals opens and get updates on the conference. Learn more about Higher Learning 2026. 

Questions? 

Contact [email protected]. 

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