The Call for Proposals is now open!

No matter your role, whether you're an IT staff member, a security professional, a manager or an executive, you have the opportunity to actively contribute by sharing your insights, experiences and solutions at CONNECT 2026.

Our Summit program is enriched by the collective expertise of our diverse member community, comprising of 25 member institutions including colleges, institutes, and research universities. Your contributions play an important role in shaping this collaborative event!
 

Important Dates

  • February 13, 2026: Deadline for submission of session proposals (12:00 PM PST)

  • February 20, 2026: Summit Program Committee reviews proposals

  • February 24, 2026: Speakers notified of acceptance

  • March 3, 2026: Deadline for speakers to confirm acceptance

  • March 6, 2026: Speakers notified of session schedule

  • April 22-24, 2026: Summit Dates

 

Top 3 Reasons to Become a 2026 CONNECT Speaker

  1. Foster Collaboration: The CONNECT Summit thrives on collaboration, and your involvement will play a part in our success. Your insights and expertise can contribute to a productive exchange of ideas among member institutions.
     
  2. Gain Peer Recognition: Whether you're in the early stages of exploring a new technology, or have successfully implemented an innovative solution, your insights are valuable to peers who can learn from your experience.
     
  3. Build Your Professional Network: Speakers have a chance to connect with like-minded people at CONNECT 2026.

The call for proposals is open exclusively to BCNET Members, other Canadian post-secondary institutions, and partners of the National Research & Education Network. Priority will be given to member-led sessions, and proposals co-presented with vendors are generally not eligible. Vendors interested in speaking opportunities may do so through select sponsorship levels. 

Contact us at proposals@bc.net

 

Tracks and Learning Paths

Your opportunities for learning and sharing are organized into 6 Track Themes.

The BCNET CONNECT Summit Program Committee have recommended programming and content ideas within each track to help guide you in developing your speaking proposal. Be sure to visit each track for content suggestion details.

 

Session Proposal Evaluation Criteria

The BCNET CONNECT Summit Program Committee will evaluate all session proposals based on the following criteria:

  • Quality of written proposal
  • Relevance to our conference, attendees and track themes
  • Value/Innovation and original problem solving
  • Ability to inspire action and/or outcome for users
     

Presentation Formats

To deliver a truly memorable experience, it is important to involve participants and make them part of your session. Try one of these interactive presentation ideas to wow and engage your audience.
 

Interactive Speaker Presentation - 45 minutes

  • Present content in a span of 30 minutes, with the remaining 15 minutes focusing on an interactive discussion with the audience.
  • Can be storytelling, more conversational.
     

Debate - 45 minutes 

  • Facilitate a 45-minute session consisting of 2 panels with opposing perspectives, focusing on a thought-provoking topic.
     

Multi-Campus Viewpoint Panel Discussion - 45 minutes

  • Create a panel consisting of individuals from multiple campuses who engage in a conversation revolving around current challenges, solutions and lessons learned.
     

Roundtable Discussion - 45 minutes

  • Present a specific topic to the group for discussion.
  • Each attendee is given the opportunity to participate and provide their comments.
     

Speaker Presentation - 45 minutes

  • Present on a topic of your choice for 35-40 minutes, allowing for a Q&A at the end.
     

AMA Session - 45 minutes

  • AMA or “Ask Me Anything” sessions are based purely on an audience asking questions to a one or multiple speakers.
  • They are a great way to present your attendees with a whole session experience that is dedicated to asking important questions.
     

Fireside Chat - 45 minutes

  • A more intimate take on presentations where a moderator interviews a guest to allow the conversation to flow naturally.
     

Pre-Conference Workshops

  • BCNET is also accepting proposals for half or full-day workshops that will take place on April 21, 2026, Tuesday at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre
  • A separate registration fee applies to attend a workshop.