Poster Fairs at the Annual Conference
The poster proposal deadline has passed.
What is a poster? Posters are visual presentations focused on a particular theme and fairs generally last an hour and a half. Poster presenters and attendees alike have a unique opportunity to have one-on-one interaction to discuss their presentation. Explore the topics below and submit your innovative practices, programs, and services.
Testimonial
"Being a NAFSA Poster Fair presenter provided me with a unique opportunity to express my passion for international education."
Maricy Schmitz, Deputy Education Attaché, Embassy of Brazil, Washington, D.C.
Choose the Right Theme for Your Submission
| Theme | Description |
| Advocacy in International Education | This fair highlights the unique role international educators can play in being strong influencers for how international education positively impacts communities. Posters in this fair feature strategies and tactics for advocating the value of international education, on a local or policy, within their institution or in local communities. Presenters share their experiences with advocating on political issues locally, nationally, and globally that impact our institutions and students – both in the United States and overseas. This fair showcases models for collaboration and/or shared value partnerships between educational institutions and community organizations or with government entities to enhance the impact of international education. |
| Assessment and Evaluation in International Education | This poster fair highlights model practices for the use of analyzed data in determining outcomes and making decisions for programs. Posters topics include assessing student learning, program, and service outcomes; innovative assessment processes and instruments; and developing assessment and evaluation in support of internationalization. |
| Crisis Management in International Education | This poster fair highlights processes, resources, and models that campuses and international offices use when faced with a crisis. Examples of crises may include natural disasters that affect campuses or home countries of students and scholars as well as in countries where students may be studying abroad, abrupt changes to visa issuance and regulations based on political changes, war and political upheaval, hospitalization or death of an international student or scholar or a student studying abroad, mental health emergencies, and arrest. Posters present campus-wide communication strategies and operational processes in place to address specific crises, as well as key resources. |
| Enhancing Learning in Education Abroad: Study, Work, Intern, Volunteer, and Research Innovations | Posters in this fair showcase the expanding portfolio of education abroad programming, including learning through study abroad as well as work, internships, volunteering, and research abroad (WIVRA), for both credit and noncredit opportunities. Innovative practices in predeparture orientation, re-entry, and peer ambassador programs are also encouraged. Campus-based and curricular initiatives that institutions and organizations have implemented to stimulate, promote, and integrate learning at various stages of the international education experience are also highlighted. |
| Global Learning On and Off Campus | Posters showcase research, model practices, and success stories of integrating and supporting global learning, including but not limited to global self-awareness; cultural diversity; personal and social responsibility; understandings of global systems; and applications of knowledge to contemporary global contexts. Posters in this theme include examples of curriculum development, cocurricular activities, workforce and career development, working with faculty, and developing opportunities to effectively engage with those from diverse backgrounds. |
| Increasing Diversity Outreach and Support in International Education | Posters highlight innovative programs, support services, and resources to assist colleges and universities interested in expanding participation and opportunities in international education among underrepresented and nontraditional populations, focusing on sexual orientation, disability, religion, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, including athletes, veterans, graduate students, first generation students, and academic disciplines such as science and engineering. |
| Innovative and Sustainable Practices in Intensive English Programming | Intensive English programs showcase high-quality program models and successful innovations in design of instructional delivery, orientation modules, host family programs, web tools, field trips, quality-assurance practices, and other aspects of their offerings. Content for this poster fair must be about a replicable program or best practice that may be applied in different educational settings without the use of a commercial product or service. |
| Intercultural Initiatives for Campus and Community | Posters showcase programs from campus organizations and local communities that emphasize supporting international students and scholars and their families, creating welcoming communities, and encouraging interaction between community members, international students, and returned study abroad students to further intercultural understanding. Each poster should include intercultural theory to support their displayed initiatives, activities, and events. |
| Internationalizing the Campus | Posters explore best practices in campus internationalization. Featured posters integrate various aspects of internationalization through strategic planning, exploration of funding opportunities, and critical consideration of practices of internationalization and/or application of theoretical models to the process of internationalization. Posters also showcase new ways to cooperate with international partners to further internationalization through innovative curriculum designs, such as COIL, as well as dual, joint, and “2+2” programs. Posters from senior international officers are encouraged to discuss model practices for these programs. |
| International Education Research | Posters feature the most recent innovative and in-depth qualitative and quantitative research in the field of international education. They highlight important findings, perspectives, and academic inquiries in order to stimulate collaboration and provide tangible professional resources and educational understanding. Submissions from scholar-practitioners and researchers from all knowledge communities are encouraged. |
| Model Practices in International Enrollment Management | This poster fair showcases various international enrollment management strategies, sponsored student programs, plans, models, and measurement tools, including alumni programs, used by institutions to successfully recruit, enroll, and retain international students. |
| Model Practices in International Student and Scholar Services | This poster fair highlights model practices in international student and scholar services including health and wellness for international students, scholars, and educators; international spouses and family support; J-1 programming; employment and career services; support for post-docs; campus programming for international students; exchange visitor and employment-based sponsorship policies; and office staffing and organization. |
| Orientation, Transition, and Retention Programs as an Integral Support Service | This poster fair showcases model practices and innovations in orientation, initial transition, and retention programming for international students and scholars, as well as predeparture orientation models for education abroad programs. Posters in this fair highlight creating welcoming environments in host communities; integrating newly arrived students with the local community; changing student and family needs; developing parent and family programs; supporting cross-cultural communication; or evolving leadership development for students and scholars, including orientation mentor programs. |
| Updates on Country and Regional Higher Education | Posters share current issues, research, and trends related to the higher education policies and systems of various countries and regions, including new laws affecting higher education, new educational programs and initiatives, mobility trends, and scholarships for students wishing to study abroad or for incoming international students. This fair is a shared event with EducationUSA and the Embassy Dialogue Committee, who invite Education USA and Embassy representatives, respectively. |
| Uses of Technology and Social Media in International Education | This fair features the use of innovative technology and social media throughout international education. Presenters demonstrate how the latest online tools and technology solutions can enable international educators and their institutions to improve the quality of services, increase efficiency, and virtually engage their students. <em>This fair is not a traditional poster fair; presenters are tasked with bringing their technology to show, rather than a traditional fair with poster board. |
Get Involved with Poster Fairs
The Annual Conference Committee is looking for Co-Poster Fair Organizers. Each year, the Poster Chair selects two Poster Fair Organizers per fair to help recruit submitters and reviewers, as well as select the posters that will presented at the conference. These volunteer positions are integral to the poster proposal process.
Download the position description for 2020 PFOs
The deadline to fill out the form is now closed, but sign up here to note your interest in future conferences.
View Poster Highlights
Starting in 2019, fair attendees were asked to select poster highlights they viewed at the fair. They were instructed to vote along two categories, Best Visual Presentations and Content Delivery. Check them out!