CAUCE is dedicated to supporting the success of our members and their engagement with not only professional and adult learners but also diverse learning communities. Our roles as professionals in continuing education often require innovation, problem solving, entrepreneurial spirit, nimble growth, and collaboration as we respond to industry and community needs.
We want to hear about practices within your continuing education unit that improve the careers and lives of people in your community and beyond.
What are we looking for?
Our aim for this conference is to create an inclusive and accessible event that encourages lifelong learning and professional growth. We welcome presenters of all ethnicities, genders, ages, abilities, religions, and sexual orientations to voluntarily share any relevant information about your lived experience within the presentation proposal.
We are looking for submissions that provide engaging opportunities for learning and knowledge exchange. We encourage submissions from people working in all areas and with all levels of experience in CE. Make sure you focus on the “how” not just “what” so that actual experiences and lessons learned can be shared. To put it another way, we are looking for presentations where the focus is on strategic, tactical, and operational details where participants will leave your session with new ideas that they can take back to their workplace. What take-away can you provide the audience (e.g., a model, tactic, template, detailed steps, principles, etc.)?
Theme
Knowledge Knows No Boundaries: The Power of Lifelong Learning
As providers of continuing education, our mission is to encourage and facilitate lifelong learning for everyone, regardless of their age, profession, or background. We believe that knowledge is a never-ending pursuit and that it should not be limited by any traditional boundaries.
This conference recognizes the importance of lifelong learning as a driving force that goes beyond standard limitations. Learning is both a personal endeavor and a shared commitment to the constant search for knowledge. Continuing Education (CE) units play a crucial role in enabling individuals to overcome any obstacles that might prevent them from accessing education and professional development opportunities.
Participants will collaborate and explore how their offerings can help enhance individual skills, promote career advancement, and contribute to the broader goal of continuous education by breaking down geographical and institutional barriers. The conference seeks to achieve the collective goal of making lifelong learning accessible to everyone, by fostering collaboration among participants to share the tools and resources essential for thriving in a constantly evolving landscape. As CE providers, we are committed to ensuring our programming is agile and responsive to learners’ needs, particularly in this time of rapid technological advancement.
As we embark on this conference, we invite you to discover how we, as CAUCE members and visiting delegates, can be partners with learners on their lifelong learning journey. We will celebrate the enduring strength of continuous learning through storytelling, exemplars, technology and opportunities, demonstrating that the pursuit of knowledge leads to personal growth, adaptability, and positive change in society, both here in Canada and beyond.
Streams
To get your creative juices flowing, we have included some ideas for your consideration within each of the five conference streams described below. Keep in mind that you are not limited to these suggestions and ideas.
If your proposal is related to Research and Scholarship in Continuing Education or you are presenting your CAUCE-sponsored research project, please select the stream that best fits your presentation topic.
This stream will focus on the importance of measuring and demonstrating the impact and success of continuing education programs. Presentations in this stream may cover methodologies, tools, and strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of CE initiatives and communicating their value to various community members. Proposal ideas include (but are not limited to):
- Exploring best practices for assessing the outcomes and impact of CE programs
- Sharing innovative evaluation tools and techniques for measuring success in CE
- Discussing the role of data analytics in understanding and improving CE program effectiveness
- Examining case studies of successful CE programs and the metrics used to demonstrate their impact
- Analyzing the challenges and opportunities in collecting and interpreting data on CE outcomes
- Highlighting strategies for effectively communicating the value and success of CE to stakeholders, including students, employers, and policymakers
- Exploring qualitative and quantitative methods for capturing the diverse benefits of CE
- Sharing learner or student narratives that discuss the value of CE programs
This stream will highlight the role of continuing education in fostering positive change and development within local communities. Presentations in this stream may explore how CE programs contribute to community engagement, economic development, social cohesion, and overall well-being. Proposal ideas include (but are not limited to):
- Examining successful CE programs that have led to tangible benefits for local communities
- Exploring partnerships between CE units and community organizations to address local needs and challenges
- Discussing the role of CE in promoting lifelong learning and community resilience
- Sharing case studies of CE initiatives that have driven economic development and job creation within communities
- Analyzing the impact of CE on social inclusion and community cohesion
- Highlighting innovative approaches to engaging community members in CE programs
- Exploring the contributions of CE to public health, environmental sustainability, and other community priorities
This stream will focus on programs, strategies, services, and partnership models that further the mission of increasing access. Your presentation in this stream may address increasing access, nurturing healthy and robust communities, responding to the needs of diverse learners, EDI programming, the increasing need for Indigenous and decolonizing education initiatives, and achieving greater diversity in university CE. Ideas for proposals include (but are not limited to):
- Examining the heart of CE through community, government, social programs, and EDI
- Exploring how CE units can be leaders in championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility
- Exploring how CE units can be leaders in championing Indigenous and/or decolonizing education initiatives in the university and beyond
- Sharing innovative programs, partnerships and collaborations that serve the focus of social service or common good through high-quality programs
- Sharing innovative approaches, challenges, and success in language programming
- Exploring and sharing research findings that focus on programs, strategies, services and partnership models
- Sharing diverse learner supports, services, and access programs
- Sharing approaches to professional development and other supports for instructors
This stream will delve into the evolving landscape of work and how continuing education can play a pivotal role in preparing individuals for successful employment outcomes. Presentations in this stream may explore the skills, knowledge, and competencies required in the future job market, the role of CE in lifelong learning, and innovative approaches to career readiness. Potential proposal ideas include (but are not limited to):
- Investigating the future skillsets needed for emerging industries and how CE can address these needs
- Examining the role of CE in supporting career transitions and upskilling in response to technological advancements
- Sharing successful case studies of CE programs that have led to significant employment outcomes and career advancement
- Exploring partnerships between CE units and industry to create relevant and impactful training programs
- Discussing the importance of soft skills and digital literacy in the future workforce and how CE programs can integrate these components
- Analyzing trends in remote work, gig economy, and flexible working conditions and exploring the implications for CE
- Sharing research on the impact of CE on long-term career success and employability
This stream will explore the various barriers that impede access to education and professional development, both within institutions and across international borders. Presentations in this stream may address the challenges and solutions related to institutional policies, international collaborations, and global access to education. Proposal ideas include (but are not limited to):
- Identifying and addressing institutional barriers that limit access to continuing education and professional development opportunities
- Sharing strategies for fostering international partnerships that enhance educational access and quality
- Exploring the role of CE in promoting global citizenship and cross-cultural understanding
- Examining case studies of successful initiatives that have overcome institutional or international barriers to education
- Discussing the impact of policy changes on increasing access to education for marginalized and underrepresented groups
- Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of delivering CE programs in different cultural and regulatory contexts
- Sharing innovative approaches to creating inclusive and accessible learning environments within and across institutions
Selection criteria
The selection committee is particularly interested in submissions that reflect the diversity of the CAUCE membership.
- Relevance to conference theme and stream
- Relevance and appeal to the intended conference audience and CAUCE constituents
- Clarity and completeness of the proposal (what you will be presenting and how)
- The degree to which the presentation is based on responsive and innovative practices
- Currency and uniqueness of the topic and information
- The degree to which the presentation topic and key points reflect the diversity of both learners and Continuing Education professionals
- The degree to which the presentation is engaging and participatory for an in-person audience
- The degree to which the presentation is engaging and participatory for a hybrid audience (if applicable)
- Useable takeaways for the audience
All sessions should share your responsive and innovative practices related to the conference theme “Knowledge Knows No Boundaries: The Power of Lifelong Learning” and focus on at least one of the five streams. We encourage collaboration among institutions and disciplines.
Please ensure that your proposal, biography (max 150 words), and session description are all clear, complete, and correct, and describes your intended audience. Incomplete submissions may be returned for revision or not reviewed.
How to Submit
Our call closed on Monday, December 9, 2024. Thank you for helping the program planning committee meet the conference planning timeline by submitting your proposal before the deadline.
Proposals may include individual or small-group presentations, panel discussions, or workshops presented face-to-face. This year we will also offer an option of hybrid presentations that will be live streamed to online delegates. All sessions should share specific responsive and innovative practices, be related to the conference theme “Knowledge Knows No Boundaries: The Power of Lifelong Learning,” and focus on at least one of the five streams. Sessions may be 30, 45, or 60 minutes.
The submission form will ask you to indicate your presentation preference from the conference:
- Individual or small-group presentations (30, 45, or 60 minutes)
- Panel discussions (60 minutes)
- Interactive workshops (60 minutes)
In addition, you will indicate your preference for a presentation type. A limited number of concurrent sessions, selected by the program planning committee, will be offered synchronously to virtual attendees.
- Face-to-Face (live session with in-person attendees only)
- Hybrid (live session with in-person attendees and broadcast synchronously to virtual attendees)
- Open to either (this is an option for the form only)
All presenters are required to attend the conference in-person.
Important notes
- You will be notified the week of January 13, 2025, if your presentation proposal is accepted.
- Once accepted, you will confirm your presentation and in-person attendance with the secretariat before February 14, 2025.
- You must register and pay for the conference by April 4, 2025, to officially confirm your presentation date and time. Early-bird registration will open approximately March 1, 2025.
- You agree that, following your session, your presentation slides will be published on the conference app in .pdf format.
- When submitting your proposal, ensure presenter biographies and session descriptions are written as you would like them to appear in the conference agenda. The Program Planning Committee reserves the right to revise descriptions and presenter biographies as required.