UPCEA members are invited to propose content for MEMS 2026 concurrent sessions which reflect the varied areas of practice of the UPCEA community: leaders in online and professional continuing education. Especially of interest are presentations that are highly interactive in format, feature multiple presenters and institutions/organizations, and can address the needs of a wide range of institutional types and sizes, as well as diverse populations of credit and noncredit learners.
Proposals are due by May 22
Due to high demand, UPCEA members are limited to one concurrent session proposal per event.
Presenters are expected to be subject matter experts and must also be current members of UPCEA, either institutional or corporate. Proposals submitted by corporate members must include at least one current UPCEA institutional member as a co-presenter at the time of submission. Proposals that do not meet this requirement will not be reviewed.
Each year, UPCEA surveys participants at the annual Marketing, Enrollment Management, and Student Success (MEMS) conference on topics of interest for future seminars. The list of topics below summarizes topics of particular interest for 2026. Presenters are not limited to the list below and are free to offer topics that they feel are important to the practice of conference tracks of Enrollment, Marketing, and Student Success.
Operational Effectiveness
Applying inclusive leadership, setting objectives, and fostering collaboration across teams
In-sourcing vs. out-sourcing: What do you do and why?
Making the most of a small budget and/or team
Reclaiming content from an online program manager (OPM) and building in-house capacity
The evolution and future state of remote/hybrid work
Professional development and lifelong learning within teams
Collaborative Solutions
Collaboration across marketing, enrollment management, and student success
Differentiating and leveraging marketing vs. sales, applications vs. enrollments
Improving conversion/boosting yield (at any/all points along the funnel)
Strategy and leadership development for all levels of the enterprise
Leveraging partnerships between mirrored service departments across divisions
Research, Data and Return on Investment
Market research best practices or innovations – qualitative and/or quantitative
Innovative responses to gathering sufficient, quality data for online populations
Student insights and feedback loops to improve marketing/recruitment/student retention
Demonstrating value and keeping the value proposition
Establishing industry and sector benchmarks
Best practices for community-building for online students
Strategies for addressing ghost applications, identity and data protection, and privacy amid AI
Strategic Practices & Technological Advances
Implementing emerging technologies (AI, predictive analytics, and automation) to proactively identify at-risk students and deliver personalized, timely interventions
Leveraging AI for custom student success innovations, and hyper personalization
Practicing effective strategies in digital content strategy (website, video, social media, etc.)
Navigating legislative changes such as data quality for upcoming Workforce Pell compliance
Showcasing practical strategies, audits, or case studies for achieving WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance in digital products
Demonstrating examples of SEO/website management and optimization
Evaluating options, establishing best practices, and/or transitioning CRMs
Innovating or supporting digital badging, credentialing, and alternative credentials
Panel or Presentation (60 minutes): A 60-minute facilitated conversation featuring two to four speakers or panelists sharing insights, experiences, or approaches around a common theme. Sessions include structured audience engagement and discussion, with preference given to cross-institutional perspectives and ideas that attendees can adapt or scale.
Workshop/Toolbox (75 minutes): An interactive, hands-on session designed for deeper learning and practical application. Presenters spend less than half the time sharing ideas, with the majority devoted to participant engagement and the use of ready-to-adapt tools such as frameworks, templates, policies, or implementation guides.
Roundtable (25–30 minutes): A small-group, table-based discussion focused on a timely topic or challenge. Roundtables are designed for peer exchange, with presenters guiding conversation and encouraging participants to share questions, solutions, and experiences. Attendees may move between tables during the session to engage with multiple topics.
MEMS Talk: A 10-minute rapid-fire presentation by a single speaker offering a concise introduction to an idea, innovation, or emerging issue. Talks follow strict timing and slide guidelines and are scheduled in sequence to give attendees quick exposure to a variety of topics.
Proposals will be selected to ensure the Seminar program offers comprehensive, noncommercial, objective, and diverse content. Attention will be given to broad representation across institutions, presenters, and geographic locations.
Applicants will be notified of proposal status by mid July. Due to demand for dais space, it is HIGHLY LIKELY that like proposals will be invited to co-present with others who have proposed similar topics. Note: due to demand, individuals may submit only one concurrent session proposal.
IMPORTANT: Presenters are responsible for registering in advance for the seminar, paying the event registration fee, and abiding by all UPCEA best practices for event presentations.
Submission Requirements:
A clear, plain-language session title and description free of excess punctuation
Institutional context and the problem addressed
Specific practices, decisions, or artifacts to be shared
Intended track (marketing, enrollment, student success) and session level (foundational, applied, strategic)
Presenter names and institutional affiliations (corporate participation is welcomed as part of a proposal that prioritizes the showcasing of institutional activities and includes primarily institutional presenters)
Need help developing your proposal for the MEMS Conference? This AI-powered assistant, the #MEMS2026 Proposal Coach is here to guide you through the process. Whether you're refining a big idea or starting from scratch, the assistant helps you generate a strong session title, compelling description, clear learning outcomes, and effective engagement strategies—customized to fit the conference’s audience and session formats. Once you access the coach, it starts by asking a few guiding questions to help shape your proposal. You'll get step-by-step support, helpful prompts, and even a final proposal formatted for submission that you can copy & paste into the submission form**. Plus, it checks to make sure your session’s content matches your selected presentation level, and it offers guidance based on your expertise. It's your creative partner in building a proposal that’s clear, engaging, and ready for peer review.
Access the UPCEA #MEMS26 Proposal Coach
(a Custom GPT developed by UPCEA)
* We encourage proposers to use the AI proposal coach to refine their ideas, but please make sure your session reflects your own experiences and ability to deliver what is described.
** The AI Assistant does not submit on your behalf or access UPCEA’s proposal system. You will not be prompted for any user credentials. Do not enter any into the AI assistant.
Timeline:
March 30: Request for Proposals announced
May 22: Proposals due (internal: extension through 5/29)
Mid July: Selected proposals notified
Aug 24: Presenter priority registration deadline