Annual Conference
Celebrating 45 years of convening international education leaders from around the globe
Call for Proposals
Conference Sessions
As we prepare for AIEA 2027, we look forward to welcoming new perspectives and continuing the conversations that make our community such a valuable source of insight, inspiration, and innovation.
AIEA invites submissions that engage with the strategic leadership of internationalization and offer insights, tools, and perspectives relevant to international education leaders across roles, institutions, and global contexts. Sessions should encourage thoughtful discussion, practical learning, and leadership-oriented exchange among participants.
We especially encourage sessions that address the following subthemes:
Leadership in Global Education
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Nurturing Leadership
- Issues of Leadership
- Crisis Management and Resilience
Internationalization of Medical Education and Health Professions
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Global Health Education
- Cultural Competence in Patient Care
- Partnership Development for Medical Education and Health Professions
Transnational Education (TNE)
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Frameworks for Partnership Development
- Innovative Models of TNE Delivery
Trends, Strategies, and Innovation in Internationalization
Share your insights, spark meaningful dialogue, and help shape the conversations fueling the future of international education leadership.
AIEA is also introducing new session formats, including opportunities for individuals to submit proposals for Lightning Round Talks (one presenter). Please review the general guidelines below, followed by specific expectations for each session type.
Submit a Proposal
Submission Deadline: August 1
Share your insights, spark meaningful dialogue, and help shape the conversations fueling the future of international education leadership.
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Session Types | Selection Critieria | Looking for Co-Presenters? | Frequently Asked Questions | Contact Us | Key Dates
Session Types
Panel Session (50 minutes)
Panel Sessions bring together multiple presenters to explore a topic, challenge, strategy, or emerging issue relevant to international education leadership. Sessions should move beyond institutional “show and tell” presentations and instead provide broader lessons, comparative perspectives, practical tools, or strategic insights that participants can apply within their own contexts. Proposals should clearly demonstrate audience engagement and interaction opportunities.
Who can present? If the chair is presenting, two additional presenters are permitted. If the chair does not present, three additional presenters are permitted.
Facilitated Roundtable Discussion (50 minutes)
Roundtable Discussions are highly interactive, discussion-based sessions designed to foster peer exchange and collaborative learning. These sessions should center participant dialogue rather than formal presentations and should not rely on slide decks. Facilitators are encouraged to prepare guiding questions, prompts, scenarios, or activities that create meaningful conversation and shared learning among attendees.
Who can present? A maximum of two co-facilitators. If the chair is not facilitating, two additional facilitators are permitted. If the chair also facilitates the session, one additional facilitator is permitted.
Lightning Round Talk (7 minutes) – NEW
Lightning Round Talks are TED Talk style, fast-paced, high-impact presentations designed to share one compelling idea, strategy, tool, framework, or insight with the audience. Selected presenters will participate in a curated 50-minute session led by an emcee. Each presenter will have exactly 7 minutes and may use up to 3 slides. There will be no individual Q&A following presentations. Talks should be concise, engaging, and accessible.
Examples of appropriate Lightning Round topics may include:
- A key research finding with leadership implications
- An innovative strategy or framework
- A practical tool or resource
- Lessons learned from a challenge or initiative
- An emerging issue or trend in internationalization
Who can present? A maximum of one presenter, seven minutes, and three slides.
Poster Presentation - NEW
Poster Presentations provide an opportunity to share research, assessment, data, innovative practices, or emerging initiatives in a visual and conversational format. Posters will be displayed during dedicated poster presentation hours, allowing attendees to engage directly with presenters and discuss ideas in an informal setting.
Poster proposals are encouraged from both researchers and practitioners and may focus on completed projects, works in progress, assessment efforts, or innovative models relevant to international education leadership.
Who can present? A maximum of up to two presenters.
How to Submit a Proposal
Proposals must be submitted through the Omnipress CATALYST portal.
Before beginning your submission, please have the following prepared:
- Abstract (75 words)
- Session outline and description (up to 500 words)
- Chair and presenter bios (75 words each)
- Contact information and required form fields
Be sure to save your proposal and reference number before submitting. You will receive a confirmation email upon successful submission.
You may submit multiple proposals, but only one incomplete submission may be in progress at a time.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed by the Conference Review Committee using the following criteria:
- Relevance to the strategic leadership of internationalization and the needs of international education leaders
- Alignment with the conference theme and its implications for the field
- Strength, originality, and clarity of the central idea
- Applicability across diverse institutional and global contexts
- Inclusion of multiple perspectives
- Diversity of presenters (institutional type, geography, background)
- Intentional session design that supports engagement and dialogue
- Focus on substantive insights, lessons learned, and practical implications (not product promotion)
- Presenter expertise and experience
- Alignment between proposal and selected session format
Note: Proposals that promote a specific product or service will not be accepted. Sponsored Spotlight Sessions are available separately.
The Review Committee will also consider balance across topics, regions, and audiences when building the overall program. Proposers may be asked to collaborate with others submitting similar ideas.
Looking for Co-Presenters?
If you are interested in presenting but do not yet have a full panel or co-presenters, AIEA offers a space to connect with others.
You invite you to use this shared document to:
- Share your proposal idea
- Find others working on similar topics
- Connect with potential collaborators
Frequently Asked Questions
I am an invited presenter, am I required to register for the conference?
When will I hear about whether my proposal is accepted or not?
You will hear by late October, if not sooner, regarding the status of your proposal.
Can I request a specific date or time for my session?
No, due to the complexities in conference scheduling, AIEA is unfortunately unable to accommodate specific requests for session scheduling. Please make sure you and your co-presenters/facilitators are available during this time frame. If selected, session chairs will be notified of the session date and time in December.
Will there be virtual sessions or will sessions be live streamed?
We will not be livestreaming sessions, but some sessions will be recorded and a part of a virtual event post-conference. You will be able to indicate if your session can be recorded on the proposal form.
How are the proposals reviewed?
Members of the conference review committee will review proposals. There will be at least two reviewers for each proposal.
How many sessions can I serve on as a presenter?
Presenters may be included in a maximum of two separate conference sessions at AIEA 2027 conference, whether as presenter or as chair.
Do presenters receive a discount in conference registration fees?
No, there is no discount in conference registration fees for presenters. We recommend that presenters register early to take advantage of early registration discounts. All presenters are required to register for at least one day of the conference (please make sure your presenters are aware of this policy.)
Can AIEA help me connect with other possible presenters?
If I am using a slide deck, am I required to bring my own computer?
If I have handouts, am I required to bring copies to the conference?
AIEA is a signatory of the CANIE Accord, and will engage in environmental-friendly conference practices. Therefore, we hope to limit the amount of paper handouts provided at the conference. We will also make digital copies of handouts and presentations available on the website and mobile app if submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the start of the conference. We encourage presenters to provide QR codes in sessions for easy access to digital handouts to reduce the number of printed materials.
Contact Us
For questions related to:
- Conference theme and subthemes
- Session formats
- Proposal guidelines or requirements
Please contact:
Katy Rosenbaum at k.rosenbaum@aieaworld.org
For technical support
Please use the Support link in the CATALYST portal. A technical advisor will respond within 24 hours (Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM Central Time).
Key Dates
August 1, 2026, 11:59 PM EST - Deadline for submitting proposals
Submit a Proposal
Submission Deadline: August 1
Share your insights, spark meaningful dialogue, and help shape the conversations fueling the future of international education leadership.