Congress 2027 association conference proposal
Please note that this page is updated regularly as planning continues.
A reimagined Congress
Over the last year, informed by our new Strategic Plan and with the contributions of a Reimagining Congress Task Force composed of association leaders and students, we’ve been reimagining Congress, asking how this national gathering can remain sustainable and strong in a changing postsecondary landscape.
Association leaders and conference organizers can expect many changes in the planning and delivery of Congress to address the concerns that have been raised by associations, institutions, and the broader HSS community.
The new Congress model endeavours to:
- Support associations through:
- A lightened workload by streamlining the planning cycle, as well as AV and catering services
- An alternative to costly hybrid event planning by decoupling in-person and virtual sessions and holding a virtual Congress in advance of the in-person sessions
- The removal of silos in planning and programming and increasing opportunities for recruitment of new members by making all events at Congress open to all attendees
- Make Congress more environmentally sustainable by reducing the scope of the in-person event and creating robust and enticing ways to attend virtually
- Remove complexity and confusion for a better, and more consistent attendee experience by simplifying registration with the payment of a single Congress fee
- Reduce hesitancy amongst institutions to host Congress in the future by alleviating financial risk and complexity.
Congress 2027 will serve as a pilot for the new Congress model.
About Congress 2027
The Federation and Simon Fraser University are collaborating on the 2027 edition of the Federation's Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, set to take place in Burnaby, British Columbia, from July 5-9 in person. From June X-X, a virtual-only Congress will take place for those who prefer to attend online, which will also be open to those who plan to attend in person.