2027 NASPA International Symposium

The NASPA International Symposium is a specialized preconference of the NASPA Annual Conference that brings together student affairs professionals, educators, administrators, and students from various countries to discuss and address issues pertinent to higher education and student services globally. The primary goal is to foster a global community of practice that enhances the effectiveness of student affairs professionals, enriches the educational environments, and ultimately supports the holistic development of students worldwide. (Global Division, International Education Knowledge Community (IEKC). The event format will include keynotepresentations and workshops, concurrent sessions, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities.

The NASPA International Symposium is a preconference unlike most. It ismore intimate than the NASPA Annual Conferenceby design, and that is part of what makes it valuable: a two-day gathering of practitioners and scholars from across the world who share an orientation toward student affairs and services work in diverse national, regional, and cultural contexts– both within and outside of the United States. That shared orientation produces conversations you will not easily find at a larger conference, and connectionswith colleagues from around the worldthat tend to last.

On behalf of the planning committee, I want to invite you to join us just ahead of the NASPA Annual Conference. We welcome our returning community of colleagues, whose continuity makes the Symposium what it is, and we are equally committed to connecting with those who are newer to the field or attending for the first time. If your work touches global student development and student support in any way, this is a space designed for you. That includes student affairs and services professionals working internationally, those in study abroad and international education, interculturalists, faculty and scholars whose work engages student development across borders, US-based institutions serving significant international student populations, and internationally based institutions serving both domestic and international students.

I hope you will consider submitting a proposal. The Symposium is an opportunity to share what you are learning with colleagues who bringglobally distinctvantagepoints, and to receive the same in return. If you have not yet registered for the Annual Conference, we hope you will consider arriving a few days early to join us.

Please reach out with questions or suggestions. The planning committee and I look forward to seeing you there!

The 2027 NASPA Symposium Planning Committee (SPC) is responsible for supporting the creation and execution of the conference experience by leveraging their expertise and lens. NASPA is grateful to the thoughtful and intentional volunteers listed below.

Please Note: You can register for the 2027 NASPA International Symposium as a stand-alone event. You do not have to also register for the 2027 NASPA Annual Conference.

There will not be any virtual presentation opportunities.

SUCCESSFUL PROPOSALS

Program reviewers rely on a well-written description to enhance their understanding of the content and goals of the presentation. The conference planning committees encourage program proposals with proven practices and content that will engage participants in fruitful discussions and provide meaningful content to bring back to their campuses.

Successful proposals should include: 

• Lengthy description about session content that you will present.
• Relationship of the program to the conference themes outlined below in 'Conference Themes & Learning Outcomes'
• Identification of the program format (e.g., lecture, panel, roundtable) including methods for participant involvement (e.g., discussion, effective practice sharing, case study analysis).
• Discussions of replicability: to what extent can the information presented in this program be replicated at other institutions?
• Evidence of the conceptual foundation for proposal content including ways the program content is grounded in research, relevant experience, a cogent model, or appropriate theory.
  • Program proposals should establish a clear connection to the research, framework, model, or theory included in their discussions.
  • A list of references to relevant research, models, or theory must be listed in the "References" section. 

Tips:

• Draft and save your work in a word processing program to ensure you keep a copy for your records. When you are ready, copy and paste the your description and outline into the text box below. 
• There are no word limits on this section. Please provide enough details so that program reviewers can understand the breadth, depth, and scope of your program. This description will not be printed in the program book, website, or otherwise.
• Ensure correct spelling and grammar.

For additional tips, please visit NASPA’s Program Submission Guidelines