The NAFSA annual conference is the largest, most comprehensive gathering of international education professionals in the world. It is the premier event that convenes international educators, institutions, organizations serving the field, public officials, and country delegations in one place. 

The 2025 Annual Conference Committee invites you to submit a poster proposal for the NAFSA 2025 Annual Conference & Expo, to be held May 27–30, 2025, in San Diego, California. Submitters who submitted a workshop or session proposal will hear back with final decisions mid-November. Review the NAFSA 2025 Proposal Submission Guide for more information.

Submission Deadlines

Session and workshops: This deadline has passed. Submitters will hear back with a decision in mid-November.
Posters: This deadline has passed.

See the NAFSA 2025 Proposal Submission Guide for more information. If you have any questions or need assistance with the online proposal system, please Contact the Proposals Team. Review the submission policies all presenters must adhere. 

NAFSA 2025: Purpose, Place, and Partnership

The annual conference theme reflects the values that inspire and unite the international education community and drive the field forward. As you consider submitting a proposal, the Annual Conference Committee invites reflection on these questions:

Theme

Purpose

• What attracted us to this profession?
• What is our mission? How can international educators make an impact?
• What have we learned from the past to help us navigate the future?
• What skills do we need to achieve our purpose? What skills do our faculty and students need?

Place

• What does “place” mean to us as international educators in times of global change?
• What is a global/local identity and how can it help us tackle global challenges?
• What is the student/scholar concept of place?
• How do we see “place” in times of global turmoil and how does it impact our work?

Partnership

• Who are our internal and external partners and how do we develop strategic partnerships?
• How can we work better together to tackle global challenges?
• How do we support robust relationships with our partners, taking into consideration their different priorities?
• How do we create successful collaborative work environments for our teams?

Content Priorities

The annual conference content priorities give framework of the types of conversations to guide the community and unite us. As you consider submitting a proposal, the Annual Conference Committee invites reflection on the following:

• how borders, displacement, and resettlement impact international education
• creative use of innovation building blocks such as data analysis and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technology, especially as they relate to developing solutions and enhancing collaboration
• sustainability in international education, particularly concerning the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• tools and resources to support and prepare students and scholars for success
• development of partnerships with the Global South
• the role of international education in fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and a sense of belonging—and how to build relationships to support these efforts
• diverse perspectives on geopolitical trends
• the skills early career professionals need to lead the field in the future—and pathways for developing these skills
• leadership skills and strategies that cultivate purpose, drive successful partnerships, and bolster collective impact
• model practices in student and scholar advising focus areas such as immigration, academic learning, career development
• strategies to advocate for international education as a priority on campus
• trends and best practices related to NAFSA knowledge communities and NAFSA’s International Education Professional Competencies