Call for Proposals
Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE) Annual Conference
Saturday, May 31 - Tuesday, June 3, 2025
George Brown College, Toronto, ON
Pre/Post conference TBA, but within these dates
The Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE) invites you to participate in its annual conference in 2025, to be held as part of the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences 2025 (Congress) at George Brown College in Toronto.
CSSHE invites proposal submissions from researchers, practitioners, graduate students, and policymakers in higher education and related disciplines. CSSHE welcomes cross-sector and multi-actor engagement between and across scholars, practitioners, policy-makers, administrators, activists, and the media.
The 2025 Congress theme Rethinking Togetherness invites members of the social sciences and humanities community to consider how we can open a collaborative space that bridges different ways of learning and producing knowledge in order to rethink our roles and responsibilities in these times of climate and humanitarian disasters, ever-evolving technologies, social isolation, dislocation, and increasing polarization. In line with CSSHE’s Strategic Plan, the theme on togetherness particularly calls for and encourages our commitment to share various perspectives in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (EDID), and on Black and Indigenous experiences and scholarship in Canadian higher education.
We remain committed to delivering an inclusive and accessible conference experience. As such, we are preparing to offer both in-person and virtual portions of the conference again with the potential to open up the CSSHE conference to a wider diversity of people and topics and try our best to accommodate participants’ needs with time and location. CSSHE 2025 will continue using the online platform provided by Congress for virtual components of the conference.
Proposal submissions can be made via Fourwaves Abstract Management Portal between October 21, 2024 and December 15, 2024. The submission portal is open until 23:59 EST on December 15, 2024. This year we have provided an extra two weeks longer than previous years and will not be accepting late submissions.
CSSHE will be offering six forms of presentations for our conference: paper (individual presentation or self-organized panel session), roundtable, poster, workshop, ignite, and innovative. All submissions will go through an anonymous peer-review process. We welcome submissions that make unique contributions to the field and which connect to the conference theme.
You will be asked to select between the following three delivery modes:
1) Live and In-person (some sessions may be available for live-streaming)
2) Live and Virtual/Remote (streamed live on the Congress online platform)
3) Recorded and Virtual/Remote (pre-recorded on demand presentations)
Hybrid conferences present many challenges for conference delegates and organizers, but we are learning each year about how to do this better. If you have experiences that you would like to see included, we invite you to share those with the Conference Co-Chairs. We expect that CSSHE will continue to offer a predominantly in-person conference, with live-streaming sessions for a synchronous virtual audience and pre-recorded sessions for asynchronous participation.
Conference Tracks
Higher education is inclusive of a broad range of postsecondary institutions, including but not exclusive to public and private colleges, CÉGEPs, polytechnics, university colleges, universities, as well as informal adult learning environments. To foster robust, inclusive and wide-ranging discussions, CSSHE 2025 will feature an array of tracks. When you submit, you will be asked to select the track that is the closest fit to your submission.
Indigeneity and Indigenous education, as well as Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (EDID), are core and central to all of these higher education tracks and are thus explicitly embedded rather than siloed topics in the context of current higher education issues.
The tracks for this year’s conference are:
Open Track
Academic Access, Pathways, and Transitions
Community College & Collège d’enseignement general et professionnel (CÉGEP)
Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning
Foundations, Histories, and Sociology
International and Comparative Higher Education
Leadership, Administration, Policy, Funding, and Organizational Change
Methods, Theories, and Technologies
Student Affairs and Services
Reframing Togetherness in Higher Education
CSSHE Conference Submission System (Fourwaves)
We are using a new platform, Fourwaves, for the conference proposal submission this year. This platform provides a user-friendly form for proposal submission and review, as well as features for our participants to utilize during the conference. In addition, the platform allows for easy networking among the participants online.
Participants will need to create an account on this new platform. The information that is entered in this platform is what will be used in the Conference Program for your name, title, institutional affiliation, short bio, and headshot. We recommend adding as much information as possible at the time of the proposal submission, but participants will be able to make any changes on the portal before the conference. Please make sure that your email address is entered correctly, as the email address that you submit is the one that we will use for correspondence regarding your proposal submission or review assignments.
You will need to complete a series of steps to submit your proposal including:
Track;
Session type and delivery mode;
Ethical practices statements;
Checklist for the proposal submission;
Proposal content as an attachment (Microsoft Word compatible documents only; up to 500 words);
Proposal authors’ contact information;
Title and 50-word abstract (the abstract will be used in the program to describe your work);
Submit.
Please note that by submitting a proposal you agree to and understand the following:
Current CSSHE membership is required of all presenting authors and co-authors at the time of the proposal submission.
All those featured in the conference program 1) must register for Congress/CSSHE conference by April 30, 2025, and 2) must have active CSSHE membership in May/June 2025
Contributors (including co-authors) to the work but who will not be presenting should be acknowledged for their contributions in the presentation but will not appear on the program unless they are registered.
All proposals should be original work and not have been previously presented at any other conferences or published.
The proposal text should be APA formatted; using a 12-point font; employing italics rather than underlining (except with URL addresses). References, tables, charts, graphs, images, and figures should be added to the end of the document and are not included in the word count.
Proposals can only be submitted once. Do not submit the same proposal to more than one track. If you need help choosing the most appropriate track, please email the conference committee at cssheconference@gmail.com. The Conference Committee reserves the right to reassign proposals to a different track in order to facilitate session creation.
Participants should plan to present in no more than two sessions as the primary author/presenter and no more than three sessions in total. This includes all session formats. Please keep this in mind as you submit proposals or agree to be a participant in a collaborative submission. Our intention is to ensure maximum opportunity for all participants to be involved in presenting.
You will be asked to indicate your mode of presentation between in-person presentation, virtual live presentation (synchronous), and on-demand recording (asynchronous). We expect the CSSHE 2025 to be predominantly in-person, with modest space and supports for virtual live presentations.
Authors will be asked to rank their format of choice (paper, roundtable, etc). The Conference Organizers reserve the right to reassign the format of the presentation in order to facilitate the development of sessions.
All authors are automatically assigned as reviewers and can expect to be asked to review 2 proposals for each proposal submitted, in the language submitted.
Types of Presentations and Proposal Submission
A paper session is a collection of three or four paper presentations organized around a connected theme. Each presenter has up to 15 minutes and will usually use slides or other visuals to present a summary of their work. Paper sessions last for 75 minutes, with the remaining time used for Q&A, discussion, and feedback.
The paper presentation format accepts both individual and panel session submissions.
An individual proposal refers to the submission of a single paper proposal of one or multiple authors, which will be grouped into sessions based on research topics and themes by the conference committee. A self-organized panel session provides an opportunity for coordinated interaction and exchange among presenters working on a common set of themes, questions, or problems related to either research or practice. The whole session proposal will be made by a session organizer and include three or four individual papers as a unit to take up the 75-minute session during the conference.
*Information needed for individual proposals
1. Title of your submission
2. A 50 word abstract of your submission to be included in the program
3. A proposal up to 500 words that should contain as many of the following as are applicable, preferably in this order:
a. Statement of the purpose or goals of the research
b. Summary of the theoretical or conceptual foundation for the work
c. Description of the methodology being used and the project findings (if applicable)
d. Theoretical and/or practical significance and implications of the research
References may be included and are not included in the word count.
During submission, the submitter will indicate whether the session will be on-demand or live. The format of the session will depend on the delivery mode selected:
- For on-demand individual presentations, the presentations will be recorded in advance (up to 15 minutes per presentation) and made available on the conference portal. There will be no timed slot provided in the program as delegates can watch the recordings at their convenience.
- For live individual presentations, presentations (up to 15 minutes per presentation) will be given along with up to 3 other presentations in one session.
*Information needed for panel session proposals
1. Title of the session and titles of papers included
2. A 50-word abstract of the session that describes each paper to be included in the program
3. A whole session summary describing the objectives of the session in the context of the chosen topic, the research question, and the session’s relevance to higher education (up to 500 words)
4. Abstracts up to 500 words for each of the individual papers that are sought for the session
References may be included and are not included in the word count.
The person submitting the whole session proposal will become the session chair and will be responsible for finding a discussant if needed.
During submission, the chair will indicate whether the session will be on-demand or live. The format of the session will depend on the delivery mode selected:
- For on-demand panels, the presentations will be recorded in advance (up to 15 minutes per presentation) and made available on the conference portal. There will be no timed slot provided in the program as delegates can watch the recordings at their convenience.
- For live sessions, presentations (up to 15 minutes per presentation) will be given during the 75-minute panel time.
Roundtables offer an interactive space to exchange and share ideas and are typically used to discuss work in progress or topical issues. Roundtables last for 75 minutes in which up to four presenters discuss the selected issue and engage the audience in conversation. Roundtables do not feature formal presentations or slides (such formats are better suited to a formal paper).
The roundtable presentation format accepts only individual submissions.
Information needed for roundtable presentation proposals
1. Title of your submission
2. A 50-word abstract of your submission to be included in the program
3. A proposal up to 500 words that should contain as many of the following as are applicable, preferably in this order:
a. Statement of the purpose or goals of the research
b. Summary of the theoretical or conceptual foundation for the work
c. Description of the methodology being used and the project findings (if applicable)
d. Theoretical and/or practical significance and implications of the research
References may be included and are not included in the word count.
Posters are a visual summary of a current or completed research/policy/practice project. Posters will be exhibited in a designated area of the CSSHE conference space and will be available to view throughout the conference. Time will be allocated during the conference for delegates to meet with poster creators to discuss their work and ask questions. If the submitter selects on-demand presentation of their posters, the electronic version of the poster will be uploaded on the online platform provided by Congress with no timed slot provided in the program as delegates can watch the recordings at their convenience.
The poster presentation format accepts only individual submissions.
Information needed for poster proposals
1. Title of your submission
2. A 50-word abstract of your submission to be included in the program
3. A proposal of 300-500 words that should contain as many of the following as are applicable, preferably in this order:
a. Statement of the purpose or goals of the research
b. Summary of the theoretical or conceptual foundation for the work
c. Description of the methodology being used and the project findings (if applicable)
d. Theoretical and/or practical significance and implications of the research
References may be included and are not included in the word count.
Workshops provide an opportunity for attendees to engage with and learn through training or professional development on a topic relevant to higher education. Workshops last for 60 minutes and will be timetabled as part of the main conference program (i.e. there will be no pre-conference workshops).
The workshop format accepts only individual submissions.
Information needed for workshop proposals
1. Title of your submission
2. A 50-word abstract of your submission to be included in the program
3. A summary of 300-500 words that explains the purpose of the workshop, identifies learning objectives, and includes a delivery plan to reach expected outcomes
References may be included and are not included in the word count.
Ignite sessions are five-minute pre-recorded talks intended to stimulate the sharing of new and exciting ideas about higher education in a short time period. Each Ignite talk may feature up to 20 slides with a maximum of 15 seconds per slide. They will be available to watch throughout the conference.
The ignite presentation format accepts only individual submissions.
Information needed for ignite proposals
1. Title of your submission
2. A 50-word abstract of your submission to be included in the program
3. A proposal of 300-500 words that should contain as many of the following as are applicable, preferably in this order:
a. Statement of the purpose or goals of the research
b. Summary of the theoretical or conceptual foundation for the work
c. Description of the methodology being used and the project findings (if applicable)
d. Theoretical and/or practical significance and implications of the research
References may be included and are not included in the word count.
Do you have an idea for a session format that would be organized differently from the session types identified above? Please pitch us your idea. We are open to ideas for new formats to use a whole session of 75 minutes either by an individual or by a group to run in the conference portal. Note, however, that CSSHE is unable to provide logistical and technical support outside of the conference portal/time period.
The innovative format accepts only whole session submissions.
Information needed for innovative session proposals
1. Title of the session and titles of papers included
2. A 50-word abstract of the session and of each paper to be included in the program
3. A whole session proposal (up to 500 words) describing the following:
a. A description of the format, topic, purpose and proposed outcomes of the session, and how it differs from the other formats already included.
b. If you want to use a different platform than the conference portal, explain the rationale for your choice of platform, and note how logistical and technical support will be provided.
c. Indicate the proposed length of the session (up to 75 minutes if timetabled during the conference).
4. Proposals of up to 300 words for each of the individual papers that are sought for the session.
References may be included and are not included in the word count.
The person submitting the whole session proposal will become the session chair and will be responsible for finding a discussant if needed.
During submission, the session organizer will indicate whether the session will be on-demand or live. The format of the session will depend on the delivery mode selected:
- For on-demand panels, the presentations will be recorded in advance (up to 15 minutes per presentation) and made available on the conference portal. There will be no timed slot provided in the program as delegates can watch the recordings at their convenience.
- For live panels, presentations (up to 15 minutes per presentation) will be given during the 75-minute panel time.
Selection Criteria and Process
All individual proposals will be anonymously reviewed by two peer reviewers. The conference committee will select submissions that are high quality, and/or demonstrate excellent potential to contribute to knowledge, giving preference to submissions that demonstrably support EDID. Particular attention will be paid to the session’s potential to address the conference theme, tracks and the rigour of the proposal. Brief feedback will be provided on all submissions.
Summary of Timelines
Call for proposals
Opens: October 21, 2024
Closes: December 15, 2024 11:59 PM (EST)
Reviewer assignments
Assigned: December 16, 2024
Deadline: January 17, 2025
Notification of review results
Early February 2025
Registration for Congress & CSSHE Conference
Opens: January 2025 (*discounted rate until March 20, 2025)
Deadline to be included in CSSHE Conference Program: April 30, 2025
Conference Registration Fees
For detailed registration fees, please refer to the CSSHE website.
Please note that in addition to the registration fees, all accepted presenters are also expected to register for Congress and their membership must remain active during the conference dates in May/June 2025. A current CSSHE membership is required of all proposal authors and co-authors at the time of proposal submission.
There will be opportunities to apply for funding to help offset the costs of attending the CSSHE conference. Please stay tuned for email communications from the CSSHE 2025 Conference Planning Committee or inquire at cssheconference@gmail.com.
Accessibility
We are committed to creating a more inclusive environment at our conference for all our members and participants. Please indicate your accessibility needs and requests in your registration form and/or email conference organizers at cssheconference@gmail.com. The CSSHE Conference Committee will work with Congress Organizers to accommodate your accessibility needs throughout your in-person and/or virtual conference experiences.
We look forward to receiving your proposal!
Erin Anderson & Kathleen Matheos
on behalf of the CSSHE 2025 Conference Planning Committee