NAFSA 2021 Annual Conference & Expo

NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the world’s largest association dedicated to international education and exchange, invites you to the all-virtual NAFSA 2021 Annual Conference and Expo! Be a part of the most diverse and comprehensive global event attended by professionals from across the field.

Thank you for your interest in submitting a proposal for the NAFSA Annual Conference to be held in Orlando, Florida! We hope that you join us as we explore this year’s theme: Designing Our Shared Future. Please use the resources below to help you prepare the best proposal possible.

About the 2021 Call for Proposals and Theme

The Annual Conference Committee invites you to submit a session, poster, or workshop proposal for the NAFSA 2021 Annual Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida. Session proposals can be submitted for 60-minute and 25-minute presentations. Workshop proposals can be submitted for two-hour, four-hour, or eight-hour timeframes. Poster proposals can be submitted across 15 themes.

Annual Conference Theme: "Designing Our Shared Future"

NAFSA 2021 conference will be an opportunity for the international education community to reconvene and reconnect in person. We will discuss our shared responsibility to each other, share best practices, and design new ways to engage our global community in building new bridges and responding to the needs of the next generation. As we plan for a sustainable future in the international education field, we will “dream big,” write a new story together, imagine new possibilities, and advocate for change. We will build on our diversity, resilience and interdependence, set the stage to be creative and imaginative, and shine a special focus on the region of Latin America and the Caribbean.

NAFSA welcomes proposals that highlight:

  • creative design and technology in international education programs and services;
  • access, diversity, and inclusion in international and higher education;
  • sustainability of international education during and in recovery from times of crisis
  • international education as a research field and foundation for a sustainable future;
  • ways to navigate legalities, risk, and ethical challenges around global programs and operations;
  • best practices in measuring outcomes and impact;
  • mental health and self-care in the international education field and support strategies for students, scholars, and staff;
  • international education in the context of climate change;
  • designing sustainable programs, campus communities, and partnerships to advance the future of international education;
  • international education leadership in the next decade in response to changing demographic, technological, and economic trends;
  • internationalization strategies at Hispanic-serving institutions and community and technical colleges;
  • student outcomes and employability;
  • global and local advocacy for a shared responsibility and dialogue;
  • the role of Latin American and the Caribbean in international education innovation; and
  • strengths and challenges of intercultural, intergenerational, and multilingual collaboration.

Informational Session

Are you interested in submitting a proposal for the NAFSA 2021 Annual Conference, but don’t know where to start? Join members of the Annual Conference Committee for an informational session. Review all of the elements needed to write a strong proposal, the differences between the submission types, as well as insider info on the review process and how to stand out from the crowd.

Sessions and Workshops

Deadline Passed: Aug. 26, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. ET

What is a session? Sessions are panel discussions intended to provide attendees with model practices, regulatory information, and other key aspects of the field.

What is a workshop? Workshops are for training smaller audiences and teach in-depth practices.

Submit a Session or Workshop

Poster Fairs

Deadline Passed: Jan. 6, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET

What is a poster? Posters are visual presentations of model practices and programs. During the fairs, poster presenters and attendees have the unique opportunity to have one-on-one discussions about the topics presented.

Please note that as of December 1, 2020, the deadline to submit a poster has been extended to January 6, 2021.

Submit a Poster

Calls for Proposals

In addition to the above, each Knowledge Community (KC) has developed a Call for Proposals based on the core competencies of their community.

Download a PDF of the General Call for Proposals

Education Abroad (EA)

International Education Leadership (IEL)

International Enrollment Management (IEM)

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship (TLS)

Career Center

Poster Fair themes

Key Dates

  Sessions/ Workshops Posters
Call for Proposals Closes (5:00 p.m. ET) August 26, 2020 January 6, 2021
Decision Notifications December 2020 February 2021
Agreement Form Deadline January 2021 March 2021
Final Date to Update Titles/Abstracts  March 19, 2021 May 19, 2021