Around the world, technology is changing the way colleges and universities approach their missions, interact with their students, and achieve their goals. Some of these changes are wrought by choice; others occur out of necessity; and still others are an accident. There is no clear path—we are all learning how to use these new technologies most effectively. And while we are learning, issues of good practice, accountability, evaluation and assessment, always on the table, have become more urgent.

This conference will focus on blazing that e-learning trail together: identifying and sharing ideas and practices about what works and what doesn’t across five strands that make up the fabric of higher education. We’ll explore forward-looking changes in pedagogy, in student access, success, and retention. And we will look at shifting faculty roles and responsibilities, and at new policies and procedures at international, national, state and local levels. We’ll discuss some of the new technologies on the horizon, too, and how we can best include them in our future plans. And we’ll leave this conference with a better understanding of how we can collaborate in building a strong path toward a bright new technological future in higher education.