Can’t-Miss Higher Ed Conferences for 2025

Our tracker of virtual, in-person and hybrid higher education leadership conferences for the upcoming academic year.

Professional Development
14 minutes
By: Volt
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After years of virtual gatherings, higher ed leaders are ready to reconnect with old friends and forge new connections over coffee breaks and evening receptions. There’s a certain magic to those impromptu conversations and chance encounters that simply can’t be replicated through a webcam. 

We have curated a list of higher ed conferences and professional development programs to help you navigate the changing landscape. Whether virtual, hybrid or in-person, many more sessions are also available to registrants as on-demand content, a trend that seems likely to stay.

Here is our guide to the college leadership conferences that typically dot the higher education professional development calendar, with a breakdown of the current plans for how each will be held in 2025.

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Higher Education Conferences Happening in Winter 2025

2025 CUPRAP Spring Professional Development Conference

CUPRAP’s annual Spring Conference brings together higher education communications and marketing professionals for three days of discussions on branding, storytelling, AI, digital strategy, leadership, and more. With keynotes, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops, attendees will explore how to navigate institutional neutrality, build engagement through innovative platforms, and tackle the evolving challenges of higher ed communications.

NEA 2025 Higher Ed Conference

At the annual National Education Association Higher Education Conference, NEA members from colleges and universities around the nation get together to share ideas and learn from each other. This year’s theme is “Promoting, Protecting, and Strengthening Higher Education: The Foundation of Our Democracy.”

2025 NASPA Annual Conference

The NASPA Annual Conference is the premier student affairs professional development event. Register to attend the 107th annual meeting to connect with colleagues and participate in critical professional development that will inspire and support you in the work you do on campus.

Higher Education Conferences Happening in Spring 2025

2025 UPCEA Annual Conference

The UPCEA Annual Conference convenes deans and other senior university leaders, key staff and teams responsible for the management, administration, and growth of professional, continuing, and online education programs. Attendees have access to targeted sessions spanning the top areas of practice in the field (aligned with UPCEA’s eight professional networks), led by higher education experts and colleagues.

DrupalCon Higher Ed Summit 2025

Drupal is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in higher education, with 71 of the top 100 schools utilizing it. And at DrupalCon, you’ll have the opportunity to network with other industry leaders, share your experiences with Drupal and learn from your peers.

NCMPR 2025 National Conference

#NCMPR50: AI. Social media. Creative how-tos. Comms planning. Leadership. And plenty of networking…with maybe a little bit of play, all with that New Orleans flavor.

AACRAO 110th Annual Meeting

The AACRAO Annual Meeting is an opportunity to learn, network and advance higher education. Professionals from a variety of higher education disciplines gather together to engage and discuss the ever-changing landscape of higher ed. Each year higher education professionals face new and unique challenges in their work and AACRAO’s Annual Meeting is the place to find solutions to those challenges.

OLC Innovate 2025

OLC Innovate, a joint conference presented by OLC and MERLOT, provides a path for innovators of all experience levels and backgrounds to share best practices, test new ideas and collaborate on driving forward online, digital and blended learning. Themed “The Rhythm of Innovation: Hitting the High Notes in Digital Education,” the conference will reimagine how today’s disruptions shape tomorrow’s classrooms.

Higher Learning 2025

The HLC Annual Conference, now branded Higher Learning, brings the higher ed community together in Chicago to share ideas and insights on the latest in the field. The conference is geared towards administrators in the higher education community, including administrative professionals, faculty members, CEOs, presidents and chancellors. The 2025 conference will explore how colleges and universities use higher education to address evolving student and societal needs, impart workforce skills, fuel innovation and tackle today’s most pressing challenges.

ASU + GSV Summit

Arizona State University and GSV host this annual event focused on transforming society and business around learning and work across the “Pre-K to Gray” (i.e., lifelong learning) global education sectors.

AACC Annual Convention 2025

  • Website: https://aaccannual.com/
  • When: April 12-16, 2025
  • Where: Nashville, TN
  • Attendance: In-person
  • Cost: Starting at $700

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) hosts one of the most significant professional development experiences for community college leaders and providers engaged with the two-year college sector. This experience includes high-energy keynote presentations and breakout sessions addressing the sector’s most pressing issues and opportunities, technology showcases, peer-to-peer sharing sessions and unparalleled networking opportunities.

NAGAP 2025 Graduate Enrollment Management Summit 

NAGAP’s annual summit unites professionals engaged in every aspect of the graduate enrollment lifecycle — from admissions and recruitment to financial aid, academic affairs and beyond. As the only professional organization dedicated exclusively to graduate enrollment management, NAGAP provides a unique platform for addressing the specific concerns and challenges faced by those in this field.

2025 North American Career Education Convention

The  North American Career Education Convention is the largest gathering of private career education professionals in North America. This event features well-known keynote speakers, experts leading concurrent sessions and an environment to connect and network with others in the sector.

CASE Annual Conference on Marketing and Branding 2025

Building a strong brand for your institution has never been more important. Balancing the reality of your campus with the overwhelming nature of being a marketer today, this conference will help participants identify, explain and integrate the key ingredients to creating, sustaining and measuring the impact of a successful brand strategy and market position.

Higher Education Conferences Happening in Summer 2025

Slate Summit 2025

Slate Summit is a premier event for admissions, student success and advancement professionals. Immerse yourself in three days of thought-provoking sessions, where you’ll discover innovative strategies, best practices and the latest trends shaping the future of higher education. Whether you’re a seasoned Slate user or new to the platform, the Slate Summit offers something for everyone.

2025 NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education

The SSHE Conference is designed to engage professionals in critical discussions and strategies surrounding Assessment, Planning, and Data Analytics (APDA), Dismantling Systemic Barriers to Student Success (DSBC) and First-generation Student Success (FGSS). Each track will address the unique challenges and opportunities within these fields, equipping attendees with actionable insights to enhance institutional effectiveness, promote equity and foster student achievement.

SCUP 2025 Annual Conference

Connect with campus and community leaders who are transforming higher education. Discover how integrated planning is breaking down silos and creating lasting solutions. Whether you’re new to planning or a seasoned pro, this is the event you can’t miss.

eduWeb Summit 2025

The eduWeb Summit is the esteemed annual conference and trade show, gathering higher education professionals and industry partners from 16 countries and all 50 states to share advancements in marketing, communications, and digital work since 2006.

CAMMP: Alumni, Marketing and Membership Conference 2025

Connecting you with the best and brightest alumni marketing and membership professionals July 22-24, 2025 at the University of Michigan. Registration will open in Spring 2025.

UNCF Unite 2025

UNITE, powered by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), is the nation’s leading annual gathering for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs). This influential event brings together thought leaders, change agents, and community partners to accelerate institutional transformation, address shared challenges, and celebrate achievements.

National Small College Enrollment Conference

  • Website: https://www.nscec.com/
  • When: July 28-30, 2025
  • Where: Charlotte, NC
  • Attendance: In-person
  • Cost: Starting at $500

The National Small College Enrollment Conference (NSCEC) is the only educational and networking event focused on small colleges and universities. It’s the “Must Attend” conference of the summer, offering small college professionals essential education and support found nowhere else. This conference is perfect for everyone on campus from presidents to enrollment officers to marketers to student success staff. No matter your expertise, there’s no better professional development opportunity than NSCEC.

CECU 2025 Leadership Institute

At the CECU Leadership Institute, attendees will be exposed to all aspects of operating a campus, including but not limited to: admissions, financial aid, marketing, campus finances/budgeting, academic support, leading staff, community and government relations, and more!

National Small College Enrollment Conference 2025

The National Small College Enrollment Conference (NSCEC) is the only educational and networking event focused on small colleges and universities. It’s the “Must Attend” conference of the summer, offering small college professionals essential education and support found nowhere else. This conference is perfect for everyone on campus from presidents to enrollment officers to marketers to student success staff.

NACAC Conference 2025

The NACAC Conference 2025 will gather over 6,000 dedicated counselors in Columbus to exchange best practices, gain inspiration, and explore cutting-edge research in admission counseling. This event provides higher education counselors with the chance to discover innovative strategies, engage with thought leaders and peers, stay updated with the latest research, and connect with a diverse community of professionals.

Higher Education Conferences Happening in Fall 2025

Digital Collegium 2025 Annual Conference (former HighEdWeb)

The Digital Collegium Annual Conference (formerly known as the HighEdWeb Annual Conference) is the conference created by and for higher ed professionals across all departments and divisions. Save the date — Sept. 28-Oct. 1, 2025 — and plan to attend #DigiCol25 in Grand Rapids or online.

EDUCAUSE Annual Conference

The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference connects the best thinkers in higher education technology. This is the event where professionals and technology providers from around the world gather to network, share ideas, grow professionally, and discover solutions to today’s challenges. It’s the largest gathering of your peers…people you can relate to, learn from, and stay connected to throughout the year.

2025 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education

For over 30 years, the AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education has been a leading event in shaping the future of higher ed marketing. Beyond the sessions and presentations, the Symposium offers a collaborative space where ideas turn into action and innovation drives progress.

OLC Accelerate

The Accelerate 2025 conference, hosted by the Online Learning Consortium, showcases groundbreaking research and highly effective practices in online and digital learning across K-12, higher education, and corporate L&D. This event is designed to empower and support leaders, instructional designers, educators, and training professionals by offering a wide range of sessions and activities. These are specifically curated to address the unique challenges and shared goals of our entire community, helping to shape the evolving landscape of digital learning and workforce development.

2025 UPCEA MEMS Conference

The annual UPCEA Marketing, Enrollment Management, and Student Success (MEMS) conference is the premier event for leaders and practitioners responsible for online and professional continuing education marketing and enrollment management at colleges and universities around the world. Designed for both senior leaders and practitioners, the conference offers high level, strategically-focused presentations as well as sessions which spotlight the tactical components of marketing and enrollment management in today’s higher education landscape.

Did we miss any higher ed conferences? Have any of these been updated already? Let us know on LinkedIn or X @volthighered or email hello@voltedu.com.

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