Welcome to the 2026 Student Experience Conference! This one-day event will take place from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at IU's Indiana Memorial Union.
This year's theme is Enhancing the Evolving Student Experience.
Student Experience Conference
Students and families across Indiana are asking valid questions about higher education's value, return on investment, and aspects of belonging. The "traditional" undergraduate student is becoming a rarity. Today’s students balance complex transitions, financial pressures, and personal responsibilities like never before. Our traditional models for campus culture and academic practices were designed for a different era.
It is crucial that we evolve to meet the broader goals of higher education while addressing our local challenges.
This conference is designed for professionals in roles essential to faculty, supporting student achievement, institutional development, and academic excellence, including:
- Academic administration and leadership
- Student success and advising
- Faculty and instructional staff
- Student life and development
- Career and post-graduate readiness
- Institutional research and assessment
- Graduate student leaders
- Residence life professionals
What you need to know
Our conference is from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in the Indiana Memorial Union.
Registration rates
- Free for Indiana University faculty and staff
- Early-bird registration (for non-IU faculty and staff): Until March 1, $35
- Standard registration (for non-IU faculty and staff): After March 1, $55
Accommodations
For out-of-town conference attendees, we have reserved a block of rooms at the Indiana Memorial Union Biddle Hotel. The conference rate expires on March 15, 2026.
Conference tracks
This year’s conference features three interconnected tracks—Assessment, Student Engagement, and Institutional Strategy—designed to explore the evidence, practices, and campus-wide approaches that collectively advance the student experience.
Assessment
This track explores evidence-based approaches to measuring and improving student success initiatives across the student experience. Participants will engage with data-driven insights, evaluation methodologies, and assessment frameworks that demonstrate program effectiveness and inform strategic decision-making for student retention and transition support.
Student Engagement
Focused on the direct student experience, this track showcases innovative practices in residence life, academic advising, experiential learning, and co-curricular programming. Sessions will highlight strategies for creating meaningful connections, supporting student transitions, and fostering engagement that promotes success from enrollment through graduation.
Institutional Strategy
This track examines large-scale, collaborative approaches to enhancing the student experience through cross-campus partnerships and strategic initiatives. Attendees will explore how breaking down institutional silos and aligning efforts across departments can create cohesive, institution-wide support systems that advance the goals of the IUB 2030 Strategic Plan.
Proposal submissions
Proposal submissions are now open! Please submit your proposal by Sunday, March 1, 2026.