Graduate Students/Post-docs Teaching in Higher Education Conference: Empowering the Next Generation of Educators
Where: Zoom
Cost: This is a free virtual event. Registration required. Register below by filling out the form.
When: Friday, August 7, 2026, 8:30 am to 6 pm Pacific time zone
Proposal Submission Deadline: Monday, May 25, 2026 5 pm Pacific Time Zone
We are excited to announce the inaugural Graduate Students/Post-docs Teaching in Higher Education Conference: Empowering the Next Generation of Educators, a unique virtual gathering dedicated to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who are actively engaged in teaching within higher education, either as sessionals/adjuncts, teaching assistants (TAs), or other teaching-type of positions.
This conference provides a platform for emerging and early career educators to share innovative teaching practices, explore new pedagogical strategies, and network with peers invested in improving teaching and supporting student learning. The sessions are organized so that you can engage with topics necessary to fulfill your role as a TA and/or instructor in higher education. It is designed to help you develop and improve your teaching skills and a great opportunity to connect and share your ideas and experiences with other graduate students/post-docs.
Testimonials from the 2025 Conference:
Due to attending the conference, I will integrate more compassionate teaching practices, such as active listening and flexible accommodations, into my current teaching assistant role; explore co-teaching opportunities to support my transition into a future teaching career; and begin refining my teaching narrative by incorporating reflective insights and student feedback to enhance its authenticity and persuasiveness.
From this conference, I learned that the implementation of trauma-informed teaching methods and the imperative to build more inclusive communities in higher education is crucial. This involves incorporating compassion, providing content warnings for sensitive material, and using multi-faceted teaching approaches to accommodate all learners.
My big take away from this conference was the critical importance of intentionality when using AI in both research and daily life. This includes understanding both the risks and the beneficial opportunities AI offers to enhance research quality and streamline educational processes.
Attendees can expect to gain:
- Practical Strategies for Supporting Students’ Learning
- Innovative Teaching Practices
- Technology-enhanced Teaching Strategies
- Networking Opportunities
Topics
A wide range of topics related to teaching and learning in higher education will be shared, including but not limited to:
- Innovative Teaching Methods
- Technology Tools Used in Teaching
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Professional Development
- Student Learning
Language of Conference: English
Session Types:
- interactive workshops (60 minutes)
- oral presentations (30 minutes)
- posters
To submit a proposal, go here.
Registration
Registration will open in June.
Recognition
As an attendee, if you attend at least six sessions and submit a reflective one-page essay by August 14, 2026, you will receive a certificate acknowledging your commitment to enhancing your teaching.
Important Dates
Proposal Submission Deadline: Monday, May 25, 5 pm Pacific Time
Conference Date: Friday, August 7, 2026, 8:30 am to 6 pm Pacific Time
Certificate Essay Submission Deadline: August 14, 2026, 5 pm Pacific Time
Contact Information
For questions or more information, please fill out the contact form on our main page at iteachhe.com.
We look forward to welcoming you to a vibrant community of graduate and post-doctoral students dedicated to shaping the future of teaching in higher education. Join us in this exciting opportunity to learn, share, and grow together!
Testimonials:
The courses I have taken from Cynthia have provided me with a theoretical foundation that I use to better understand how to design classroom environments that promote learning. That foundation gives me an improved capacity to articulate pedagogical concepts so that I can perform effective literature searches to continuously improve my own teaching methods. Being able to engage literature effectively then gives me more confidence to take risks and evolve my courses at a faster rate.
Former faculty member student
Dr. Korpan is very skilled in online teaching and learning, using many effective options for learning in that environment and was able to give fulsome and helpful feedback to all students. Cynthia’s knowledge of learning and teaching in university settings is extensive. Her skills as an educator ensures that her courses and classes are organized, interesting, interactive, and engaging.
Peer colleague
Cynthia is a great instructor. Very knowledgeable about the subject matter. Good choices for assessment. Highly student–centered (i.e., not lecture–based) course activities. One of the best courses that I have taken or observed. Overall, she is a fantastic instructor and role model for teaching.
Former graduate student
Dr. Korpan is a delight to work with and is genuinely sincere, open, and considerate. She brings extensive research experience to her work and simultaneously helps others thrive in their own teaching and scholarship of teaching. Above all else, she understands educational excellence from a variety of perspectives: her extensive understanding of the research in the field; her own research studies and editing experiences; her program-building capabilities; and her hard work and innovation.
Peer colleague
Cynthia Korpan, PhD
Director
ITeach: Certification in Higher Ed Inc
About me
I have over 20 years experience in Educational Development in Higher Education and over 35 years related to workplace learning. As the former Director of Teaching Excellence at the University of Victoria, I garnered significant experience in developing programs and courses, teaching undergraduates, graduate students, and professors, and mentoring many about learning and teaching in higher education. In 2017, I was honoured with the Educational Developers Caucus Leadership Award for my national work related to educational development. My research focuses on emerging and early career academics’ first teaching in the academic workplace. This work and my expertise has been and continues to be shared with institutions around the world, such as Canada, the United States, China, Uganda, Pakistan, and Ghana.
