STLHE Conference 2025: Essential Guide For Post-Secondary Educators And Researchers

The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) annual conference stands as Canada’s flagship gathering for post-secondary educators, educational developers, academic leaders, and researchers. As post-secondary institutions navigate rapid technological shifts, evolving student demographics, and changing pedagogical models, the STLHE Conference 2025 serves as an indispensable platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and evidence-based educational reform.

Attending or presenting at the STLHE conference provides direct exposure to cutting-edge research in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Attendees gain actionable insights into classroom instruction, institutional policy, curriculum design, and educational technology. This comprehensive guide outlines everything you need to know about STLHE 2025, including core thematic tracks, registration procedures, comparative benefits, and strategic tips for getting the most out of your conference experience.

Core Themes and Pedagogical Focus Areas for 2025

The STLHE 2025 conference agenda reflects the most urgent challenges and promising opportunities facing modern higher education. Academic institutions are moving beyond traditional lecture formats toward student-centered, inclusive, and technology-enhanced learning environments. The programming centers around key streams that address both theoretical frameworks and practical classroom applications.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ STLHE 2025 Core Focus Streams │ └────────────────────┬────────────────────┘ │ ┌───────────────────┬───────────────┴───────────────┬───────────────────┐ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ┌─────────┐ ┌────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ AI & Ed │ │ EDID & Indig. │ │ Assessment & SoTL│ │ Well-being│ └─────────┘ └────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └───────────┘

Generative AI and Technological Integration

Artificial intelligence has redefined academic integrity, assessment design, and instructional delivery. STLHE 2025 features extensive sessions dedicated to integrating Generative AI tools into course curricula responsibly. Discussions focus on developing AI literacy among faculty and students, crafting authentic assessments that resist automated completion, and leveraging AI for personalized learning pathways.

Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDID)

Systemic change in higher education requires actionable strategies for decolonizing curricula and fostering inclusive learning spaces. The 2025 conference prioritizes presentations that highlight Indigenous ways of knowing, equitable grading frameworks, accessible course design principles (UDL), and initiatives designed to support underrepresented student populations across college and university campuses.

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

At its core, STLHE remains dedicated to advancing rigorous, peer-reviewed educational research. The conference provides a showcase for empirical research evaluating teaching interventions, course redesigns, student engagement metrics, and interdisciplinary teaching models. Presenters share methodology, data collection strategies, and reproducible outcomes designed to raise the standard of university instruction.

Conference Structure and Attendance Options

STLHE 2025 offers flexible registration categories and session formats to accommodate faculty, instructional designers, graduate students, and educational administrators. Sessions range from high-energy workshop sessions to formal research presentations and interactive panel discussions.

The table below outlines the primary delegate categories, expected features, and target outcomes for participants:

Pros and Cons of Attending STLHE 2025

Deciding to allocate professional development funds and time to attend a major national academic conference requires evaluating the tangible returns against the investments involved.

Pros

• High-Impact Networking: Connect directly with leading pedagogical researchers, CTL directors, and peers across multidisciplinary fields.
• Evidence-Based Strategies: Learn actionable instructional techniques backed by empirical SoTL research rather than unverified trends.
• Recognition and Peer Review: Presenting at STLHE provides recognized peer-reviewed merit for promotion, tenure, and teaching dossiers.
• Cross-Institutional Collaboration: Discover multi-institutional research opportunities and shared resource initiatives across North American campuses.

Cons

• Resource Investment: Registration fees, travel, and accommodation require dedicated departmental funding or grant allocations.
• Information Overload: Concurrent session tracks mean delegates must carefully curate their schedules to avoid missing relevant sessions.
• Institutional Differences: Certain administrative strategies discussed may not directly translate across different institutional structures (e.g., large research universities vs. small community colleges).

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Participate and Register

Maximizing your engagement with STLHE 2025 requires early planning, whether you intend to present peer-reviewed research or participate as a general delegate.

Step 1: Proposal Submission ──► Step 2: Peer Review & Acceptance ──► Step 3: Funding & Registration ──► Step 4: Schedule Planning

Step 1: Monitor the Call for Proposals (CFP)

If you plan to present, review the submission guidelines carefully. Proposal streams typically open several months prior to the event. Ensure your abstract clearly states your research question, pedagogical framework, methodology, and practical takeaways for delegates.

Step 2: Select the Right Presentation Format

Match your research findings to the appropriate format. Use Pre-conference Workshops for hands-on skill development, Interactive Presentations for SoTL findings, Ignite Sessions for conceptual ideas, or Poster Presentations for preliminary data and graduate research work.

Step 3: Secure Institutional Funding and Early Registration

Take advantage of early-bird registration discounts. Most post-secondary institutions offer professional development funds, teaching travel grants, or departmental subsidies for faculty presenting at recognized educational conferences.

Step 4: Build a Targeted Session Schedule

Once the full program is released, use the official conference platform to select your priority tracks. Balance high-level keynote speeches with intimate workshop sessions to maximize both broad insights and practical skill acquisition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does STLHE stand for?

STLHE stands for the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (known in French as La Société pour l'avancement de l'enseignement et de l'apprentissage dans l'enseignement supérieur). It is a national association dedicated to improving post-secondary teaching quality and supporting educational research.

Who should attend the STLHE 2025 Conference?

The conference is designed for post-secondary faculty members, sessional instructors, educational developers, academic librarians, educational technology specialists, institutional administrators, and graduate students interested in academic teaching careers.

Can I present research that is still in progress?

Yes. STLHE offers multiple presentation formats, including poster sessions and roundtable discussions, which are specifically structured to gather peer feedback on ongoing research projects and exploratory pedagogical studies.

Are sessions available virtually for remote attendees?

While STLHE emphasizes vibrant, in-person collaborative networking, select keynotes and hybrid sessions may be available depending on the host institution's technical capacity. Check the official registration portal for hybrid access details.

How does presenting at STLHE help with academic promotion and tenure?

STLHE uses a competitive, peer-reviewed evaluation process for proposal submissions. Acceptance demonstrates recognized scholarly contribution to teaching practice and SoTL, which serves as strong evidence in tenure and promotion portfolios.

Advance Your Teaching Practice at STLHE 2025

The STLHE Conference 2025 represents an essential investment in your professional growth as a post-secondary educator. By engaging with pioneering pedagogical research, testing new instructional technologies, and connecting with a continent-wide community of passionate educators, you gain the tools necessary to transform student learning outcomes at your home institution. Mark your academic calendar, review the call for proposals, and prepare to contribute to the future of higher education teaching and learning.