The higher education sector is undergoing a period of unprecedented change. Artificial intelligence is becoming ubiquitous, forcing colleges to respond to its impact on the job market and its growing use by students, faculty and staff. Meanwhile, federal policy continues to evolve, with major regulations to overhaul accreditation and federal research coming down the pike.
Below, we’re rounding up many of the major conferences planned for 2027, where attendees — including college presidents, board leaders, enrollment managers and others — will grapple with those very changes.
Top higher education conferences in 2027
Presidents Institute
Jan. 4-7
San Diego
The Council of Independent College’s Presidents Institute is an annual gathering of more than 300 presidents of private nonprofit colleges. This year’s conference will feature plenary panels focused on the future of work and education, as well as the regulatory trends in the higher education sector. Other sessions will touch on myriad topics, including mergers, board relations and artificial intelligence.
AAC&U Annual Meeting
Jan. 20-22
Seattle
The American Association of Colleges and Universities, which counts hundreds of colleges as members, is focusing its annual conference on reflecting on the higher education sector in the wake of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. That theme will include exploring how the sector can restore public confidence and strengthen its “service to the public good.”
AGB Foundation Leadership Forum
Jan. 24-26
Washington, D.C.
This Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges annual conference convenes foundation leaders to discuss the changing landscape for philanthropy. The forum is “designed for teams including board members and professional staff of the foundation and institution with the goal of developing a shared understanding of strategic opportunities and an action plan for the year ahead,” according to its webpage.
CHEA Annual Conference
Jan. 25-28
Washington, D.C.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s annual conference will gather accreditors, policymakers, college leaders and other higher education stakeholders. The theme for the 2027 meeting is “Shaping the Future of Higher Education: Trust, Integrity, and Quality.”
NASFAA 2027 Leadership & Legislative Conference & Expo
Feb. 21-24
Washington, D.C.
The annual legislative conference of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators brings together college financial aid officers to discuss the issues and trends in their profession.
ACE Experience 2027
March 2-7
Washington, D.C.
The American Council on Education’s annual conference will bring together college leaders to discuss the trends shaping their campuses. The 2027 conference will focus on three themes concerning how colleges can: strengthen student success, respond quickly to ongoing changes and adapt to major challenges like social polarization.
NADOHE Annual Conference
March 9-12
Baltimore
The theme of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education’s annual conference is “From Washington to Baltimore: A Legacy in Motion, A Future Unwritten.” The conference will “honor the foundation laid by those who came before us while embracing our shared responsibility to protect, evolve, and expand that legacy for generations to come,” NADOHE said on its website.
AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success
March 10-12
Uncasville, Connecticut
AAC&U’s student success conference focuses on strategies to improve learning and institutional outcomes. The 2027 conference will include a forum on transformational leadership and have several tracks, including assessment, general education, and AI and digital transformation.
AGB National Conference on Trusteeship
March 13-15
Washington, D.C.
The 2027 AGB National Conference on Trusteeship will bring together college presidents, chancellors, board members and high-level officials. The conference is designed for leaders “who recognize that safeguarding mission is essential to sustaining the integrity, purpose, and long-term impact of higher education institutions,” according to the organization.
SXSW EDU
March 13-16
Austin, Texas
The annual SXSW EDU conference convenes higher education and K-12 leaders to discuss technological changes and trends in the education sector. The conference will have over 1,000 speakers, 300 sessions and workshops, and 50 interactive exhibits.
AACRAO Annual Meeting
April 4-7
Long Beach, California
The annual conference of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers brings together an array of higher education professionals to discuss trends and challenges in the sector. That includes admissions officers, enrollment managers, registrars and student success leaders.
ASU+GSV Summit
April 4-7
San Diego
This future-focused conference in 2027 will feature speakers including Sonya Christian, chancellor of California Community Colleges; Fisk University President Angenia Clark; former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan; Coursera CEO Greg Hart; and Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges.
ACUPA Annual Conference
April 12-14
Pittsburgh
The Association of College and University Policy Administrators’ annual event brings together professionals of varying titles, institution types and geographical areas. It is currently seeking session proposals, including around data security, campus safety, inclusive policy design, and AI and technology policy administration.
UPCEA Annual Conference
April 13-15
Anaheim, California
UPCEA’s conference brings together leaders in the online learning and continuing education space. The 2027 conference will focus on exploring “proven and emerging strategies to maintain stability, foster resilience, and create meaningful pathways for lifelong learning in an AI-powered landscape,” according to its website.
Higher Learning
April 17-19
Phoenix
The Higher Learning Commission’s 2027 conference will include a workshop on navigating disruption amid shifting political, funding and technological realities. It will also include training for peer accreditation reviewers and a daylong program for presidents and trustees to “participate in candid and real discussions.”
OLC Innovate
April 20-22
Virtual
The Online Learning Consortium and Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching hosts this conference, which brings together professionals focused on online, digital and hybrid learning.
Graduate Enrollment Management Summit
April 21-24
New Orleans
NAGAP’s 2027 annual conference will provide “numerous opportunities to learn new approaches, receive updated information on all aspects of graduate enrollment management, share useful tips, exchange creative ideas” and network with fellow members, according to the organization, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management.
AACC Annual
April 23-27
Indianapolis
The American Association of Community Colleges bills its annual conference as “one of the largest convenings of community college professionals and offers engaging speakers, relevant professional development, and unsurpassed networking opportunities.”
NISOD International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence
May 26-29
Austin, Texas
The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s annual conference in 2026 included sessions on AI, conflict management, industry partnerships and initiative fatigue.
NASFAA 2027 National Conference
June 20-23
San Diego
NASFAA’s annual conference brings together financial aid professionals to learn about trends in student aid and offers professional development opportunities.
Career Education Convention
June 21–23
Denver
Career Education Colleges and Universities, an organization that represents for-profit colleges, says its 2027 annual conference will provide “cutting-edge education, impactful conversations, valuable networking, and new ideas to help shape the future of career education.”
NACUA 2027 Annual Conference
June 23-26
Denver
The National Association of College and University Attorneys’ conference in 2026 featured sessions and discussions on legal trends impacting higher education.
NACUBO 2027 Annual Meeting
July 10-13
New Orleans
The National Association of College and University Business Officers’ annual conference will focus on institutional resilience, including the approaches that support operational flexibility. Sessions are expected to focus on areas like infrastructure needs, best practices in accounting and enrollment management.
AASCU 2027 Summer Meeting
July 12-15
Atlanta
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ annual summer conference allows academic and student affairs leaders from regional public institutions to collaborate and share solutions to the sector’s challenges. The 2026 gathering focused on institutional autonomy, artificial intelligence and student success.
NACAC Conference
Sept. 23-25
Kansas City, Missouri
Higher education and K-12 converge at the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s annual conference. Topics tend to include standardized testing, demographic challenges and student success.
Educause Annual Conference
Oct. 18-21
Orlando, Florida
Educause’s annual conference provides programming for higher ed technology leaders and ed tech providers, including trends and innovative solutions in higher ed tech. The in-person gathering will be followed by an online conference three weeks later.
CUPA-HR Annual Conference and Expo
Oct. 20-22
TBD
The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources 2026 conference featured speakers including Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, and Colin Fisher, author of “The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups.”
NACADA Annual Conference
Oct. 24-27
Atlanta
The annual gathering from NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising NACADA’s annual gathering focuses on higher education advising and boosting student success outcomes.
P3-EDU
TBD
TBD
At the annual P3-EDU annual conference, college officials join government, corporate, foundation and association leaders to discuss higher education’s role in and use of public-private partnerships.
AASCU 2027 Annual Conference for Presidents and Chancellors
TBD
TBD
AASCU’s annual conference for presidents and chancellors brings together the leaders of regional public universities. 2026’s conference speakers include Oakland University President Ora Pescovitz and University of South Carolina Upstate Chancellor Bennie Harris.
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