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Higher Ed Marketing Conferences in 2026 | Dates, Pricing, and Who Should Attend
Higher ed marketers are being asked to do more with less. Smaller teams. Tighter budgets. Higher expectations for enrollment, engagement, accessibility, and brand performance.
That makes intentional upskilling critical.
This list of higher ed marketing conferences in 2026 is built to help you decide where to spend your time and budget. Each conference outlines what’s known today, what’s still TBD, who the event is best suited for, and pricing context whenever available.
Some of these conferences I’ve attended personally. Others include perspectives from trusted peers who have presented or participated. All are focused on the real work of higher ed marketing, communications, web, content, and digital strategy.
If you’re planning your 2026 professional development calendar, start here.
Dates: March 3–5, 2026
Location: Online
Estimated Cost:
  • General conference: $80
  • Technical workshop only: $470
  • Conference & workshop bundle: $550
About the Conference
The Cascade User Conference, hosted by Hannon Hill, is built for higher education teams using Cascade CMS. The program focuses on how institutions manage, govern, and scale their digital presence within the platform. Its virtual format and low registration cost make it accessible for both individual contributors and cross-functional teams.
The conference is organized into two primary tracks:
  1. Strategic Track: Designed for marketing leaders, content strategists, and digital communicators. Sessions focus on website strategy, governance, accessibility, storytelling, personalization, and measuring digital impact.
  1. Technical Track: Designed for developers, IT professionals, and advanced users. Sessions cover deeper Cascade CMS functionality, integrations, automation, performance, security, and hands-on technical use cases.
Attendees can choose sessions from either track based on role and interests.
Who should attend
  • Web and digital teams managing Cascade CMS
  • Marketing and communications teams responsible for website content and governance
  • IT and development teams supporting CMS infrastructure
  • Content managers and contributors working within Cascade
My take
I managed the Cascade User Conference for three years and worked closely with the team shaping its programming and experience. If your institution uses Cascade, this event offers strong value relative to its cost. Especially compared to larger conferences where CMS-specific content is often limited or surface-level. The low cost and online format also make it easy to justify sending multiple team members.
Dates: March 9–11, 2026
Location: Atlanta, GA
Estimated Cost:
  • Section member: $825 early, $925 standard
  • PRSA member: $895 early, $995 standard
  • Non-member: $1,195 early, $1,295 standard
  • Day registration. Monday or Tuesday only: $575 early, $675 standard
About the Conference
The PRSA Counselors to Higher Education Senior Summit is designed for experienced marketing, communications, and public relations leaders in higher education. The event focuses on leadership-level topics, including institutional reputation, executive communication, strategic influence, and the role of communications in organizational decision-making.
Programming is tailored to senior professionals responsible for guiding strategy, advising executive leadership, and navigating complex communications challenges within colleges and universities.
Focus areas
  • Executive-level communications and leadership
  • Reputation, crisis, and issues management
  • Strategic planning and organizational influence
  • The evolving role of marketing and PR in higher education
Who should attend
  • Senior marketing, communications, and PR leaders
  • AVPs, VPs, and directors overseeing institutional messaging
  • Professionals advising presidents, provosts, and boards
  • Higher ed communicators focused on strategy and leadership
What people are saying
Former Education Marketing Podcast guests, Jaime Hunt and Jen Brock shared that they’ll be speaking at the PRSA Counselors to Higher Education Senior Summit in a session titled Mission as a Megaphone. Their session will explore how grounding decisions in institutional values and listening to audiences can give leaders clarity and confidence to communicate more boldly, particularly during moments of uncertainty or scrutiny.
If you’re attending, consider reaching out to Jaime or Jen ahead of the conference.
Dates: March 11–13, 2026
Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Estimated Cost:
  • Member early registration: $400
  • Member standard registration: $475
  • Non-member: $625 early, $675 standard
  • Single-day pass: $275 member, $375 non-member
  • Student registration: $150
About the Conference
The CUPRAP Spring Professional Development Conference is an annual event hosted by the College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals organization. The conference brings together higher education communications, marketing, and public relations professionals for professional development, peer learning, and practical skill-building.
Programming typically spans multiple days and includes a mix of sessions, networking opportunities, and optional add-on events.
Focus areas
  • Marketing, communications, and public relations in higher education
  • Professional development and skill-building
  • Institutional storytelling and messaging
  • Collaboration and peer learning across institutions
Who should attend
  • Higher education marketing, communications, and PR professionals
  • Directors and managers responsible for institutional messaging
  • Professionals seeking practical professional development opportunities
  • Students and early-career professionals exploring higher ed communications
What people are saying
"As the board has been hard at work planning this year’s conference, we realized we have put together an agenda that rivals our industry’s largest events, but offers attendees an affordable, intimate setting to network, learn, and grow," says Shane Baglini board member.
Dates: March 18–20, 2026
Location: Washington, DC
Estimated Cost:
  • Early registration. $850
  • Standard registration. $950
About the Conference
The NCMPR National Conference is the flagship annual event for the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. The organization serves marketing and public relations professionals working at community and technical colleges across the United States.
The conference brings together practitioners from enrollment, marketing, communications, and leadership roles to explore trends, strategies, and practical approaches tailored to two-year institutions.
Focus areas
  • Marketing and enrollment communications
  • Public relations and institutional messaging
  • Student recruitment and retention
  • Leadership and professional development in the community college sector
Who should attend
  • Marketing and communications professionals at community and technical colleges
  • Enrollment, PR, and digital marketing leaders serving two-year institutions
  • Directors and managers responsible for student-facing communications
  • Professionals seeking peer connection within the community college space
My take
I’ve attended the NCMPR National Conference for the past three years. It’s where informal community-building happens, including a standing run group organized with Jeff Ebbing, former NCMPR President, to explore the host city on foot.
If you’re a runner, you can connect with fellow higher ed runners at the Education Marketing Leader Run Group on LinkedIn.
Dates: June 15–17, 2026
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Estimated Cost:
  • Summit registration (early bird): $550
  • Standard registration: $750
  • Bring Your Team rate: $650 per person, minimum two registrations
About the Conference
The Engage Summit is a higher education conference focused on enrollment, marketing, and student success. Programming centers on how institutions use data, technology, and emerging tools, including AI, to support recruitment, engagement, and decision-making across the student lifecycle.
Sessions include a mix of presentations, panels, and hands-on learning opportunities designed for practitioners working directly in enrollment and marketing roles.
Focus areas
  • Enrollment and recruitment strategy
  • Marketing operations and digital engagement
  • Data, analytics, and AI in higher education
  • Student journey and lifecycle management
Who should attend
  • Higher education marketing professionals
  • Admissions and enrollment teams
  • CRM and marketing operations staff
  • Leaders responsible for recruitment and student engagement
Dates: June 8–10, 2026 Location: McAllen, Texas
Estimated Cost (2025 pricing for reference only):
  • TACCM members: $350 conference registration | $99 pre-conference experience
  • Non-members: $450 conference registration | $149.99 pre-conference experience
2026 pricing has not yet been announced. The figures above reflect published 2025 rates and are provided for planning context only.
About the Conference
The Texas Association of Community College Marketers (TACCM) Conference is an annual event dedicated exclusively to community college marketing professionals in Texas. Founded in 2012, TACCM focuses on the unique opportunities and challenges facing two-year institutions across the state.
The conference emphasizes partnership, information exchange, and professional development, bringing together community college marketers to share experiences, tools, and approaches relevant to their work. In 2026, the conference will be hosted in McAllen, Texas, marking the first time TACCM will be held in the Rio Grande Valley.
Focus areas
  • Community college marketing in Texas
  • Brand building and promotion for two-year institutions
  • Practical tools and strategies for marketing teams
  • Peer learning and collaboration across colleges
Who should attend
  • Marketing and communications professionals at Texas community colleges
  • Directors and managers responsible for institutional marketing
  • Practitioners seeking practical, peer-driven professional development
  • Teams focused on real-world marketing challenges and solutions
What people are saying
One attendee shared, “TACCM helped me realize we’re not alone in many of our challenges. Other colleges face the same issues, and the conference gives us a chance to learn how they’re solving them.
Dates: June 22–24, 2026
Location: Denver, Colorado
Estimated Cost:
  • Early registration (ends May 11, 2026):
  • Member: $1,295
  • Non-member: $1,815
  • Standard registration (beginning May 12, 2026):
  • Member: $1,420
  • Non-member: $1,990
About the Conference
The CASE Annual Conference for Marketing and Branding Professionals is hosted by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The conference is designed for higher education professionals working in marketing and branding roles and brings together practitioners from institutions across the globe.
The event spans multiple days and includes sessions, networking opportunities, and programming focused on marketing and brand leadership within higher education.
Focus areas
  • Higher education marketing
  • Institutional branding
  • Advancement and communications
Who should attend
  • Higher education marketing professionals
  • Brand and communications leaders
  • Advancement professionals involved in institutional marketing
  • Teams responsible for brand strategy and execution
What people are saying
My friend, Carrie Phillips, Ed.D., APR, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at UA Little Rock, shared reflections from attending the CASE Summit, noting that sessions offered high-level perspectives on challenges facing higher education and conversations that helped her think about aligning both personally and professionally within the industry. She highlighted themes such as the enduring role of higher education, the importance of collaboration, and renewed purpose for the role MarComm teams can play within their institutions.
Dates: July 14–16, 2026
Location: Orlando, Florida
Estimated Cost:
  • Early bird registration (through March 2, 2026): $1,175
  • Regular registration (March 3–July 14, 2026): $1,275
  • Optional master class (3 hours): $195
About the Conference
eduWeb Summit is a higher education conference focused on digital marketing, communications, and web strategy. The event brings together professionals responsible for institutional websites, digital content, and online engagement across colleges and universities.
The conference includes multi-day programming as well as optional pre-conference master classes for deeper skill development.
Focus areas
  • Higher education digital marketing and communications
  • Website strategy and management
  • Content, UX, and digital engagement
Who should attend
  • Higher education marketing and communications professionals
  • Web and digital teams managing institutional sites
  • Content strategists and digital managers
  • Professionals responsible for online engagement and experience
What people are saying
My colleagues from Stamats, Sandra Fancher and Lisa Starkey-Wood, attended and presented at eduWeb. Sandra shared that the experience sparked thoughtful discussion around common digital roadblocks in the enrollment journey and led to practical conversations with peers throughout the event.
#PSEWeb | Canada’s College & University Digital Marketing Conference 2026
Dates: TBD, July 2026
Location: TBD
Estimated Cost: Not yet announced
About the Conference
#PSEWeb is an annual digital marketing conference serving colleges and universities across Canada. The event focuses on digital marketing, web, and communications work within postsecondary education.
Details for the 2026 conference, including dates, location, and pricing, have not yet been released.
Based on prior conferences, #PSEWeb programming included sessions related to digital marketing, web strategy, content, and online engagement in the postsecondary education context. The conference historically attracts practitioners working directly in digital and marketing roles at Canadian institutions.
Who should attend
  • Higher education digital marketing professionals in Canada
  • Web and communications teams at colleges and universities
  • Practitioners responsible for digital strategy and execution
  • Professionals interested in postsecondary-focused digital marketing events
What people are saying
Dayana Kibilds, who presented at #PSEWeb, shared that her session reframed email newsletters as concise, relevant summaries rather than long, institution-focused updates, and she saw stronger engagement as a result. She also highlighted presenting on the University of Toronto campus and described the room as the coolest space she has ever presented in.
In-Person Dates: September 29–October 2, 2026, Denver, Colorado
Online Dates: October 14–15, 2026
Estimated Cost: Not yet announced
About the Conference
The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference is a higher education event focused on information technology and its role across teaching, learning, and institutional operations. The conference brings together professionals from colleges and universities representing technology, academic, and administrative functions.
For 2026, EDUCAUSE will offer both an in-person conference in Denver and a separate online experience. Registration pricing has not yet been released.
Focus areas
  • Higher education information technology
  • Digital infrastructure and enterprise systems
  • Academic and learning technologies
  • Institutional technology strategy and operations
Who should attend
  • Higher education IT and technology leaders
  • Digital and academic technology teams
  • Institutional leaders involved in technology planning
  • Professionals responsible for campus technology strategy
Stay informed
EDUCAUSE provides an option to sign up for updates to receive announcements related to registration, pricing, and program details as they become available.
Dates: October 18–21, 2026
Location: Online and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Estimated Cost (2025 pricing for reference only):
  • Virtual registration: approximately $350–$450
  • In-person registration: approximately $600–$750
  • Combined in-person + virtual access: approximately $750–$900
2026 pricing has not yet been announced. The figures above reflect published 2025 rates and are provided for planning context only.
About the Conference
The Digital Collegium Annual Conference is a higher education event focused on digital strategy, web, content, accessibility, analytics, and emerging technologies. The conference brings together professionals working across marketing, communications, web, UX, and digital governance at colleges and universities.
For 2026, the conference will offer both an online experience and an in-person component in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Focus areas
  • Higher education digital strategy and operations
  • Web, content, and user experience
  • Accessibility and compliance
  • Analytics, measurement, and emerging technologies
Who should attend
  • Higher education digital, web, and content professionals
  • Marketing and communications teams responsible for digital experiences
  • UX, accessibility, and analytics practitioners
  • Professionals overseeing digital governance and strategy
My take
I attended the Digital Collegium conference in 2024 when it was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The community felt close-knit, and I had the opportunity to lead a sunrise run along the Rio Grande River with a group of fellow attendees.
Dates: Fall 2026, dates TBD
Location: Virtual
Estimated Cost: Not yet announced
Reference Pricing from 2025 (for context only, listed in GBP per conference website):
  • Individual conference pass: £225
  • Team pass (3 people): £649
  • Institutional pass (up to 20 people): £1,495
  • Conference + premium institutional bundle: £2,749
2026 pricing has not yet been released. The figures above reflect published 2025 rates and are provided for planning context only.
About the Conference
The ContentEd Conference is a virtual event focused on content strategy and content practice within education. The conference is delivered online and includes sessions designed for professionals responsible for creating, managing, and governing content in educational settings.
The event is hosted by the ContentEd community and has historically offered flexible registration options for individuals, teams, and institutions.
Focus areas
  • Content strategy and planning
  • Content design and delivery
  • Content operations within education
Who should attend
  • Content strategists and content designers in education
  • Marketing and communications professionals responsible for content
  • Web and digital teams managing content workflows
  • Institutions looking for virtual, team-based learning options
What people are saying
Tony Sheridan shared that attending ContentEd was a career highlight, with a packed room for his session and strong audience feedback. He also highlighted the supportive community around the conference and noted that his institution, KAUST, was recognized with an award for its work in diversity, equity, and inclusion in content.
Dates: November 8–11, 2026
Location: Aurora, Colorado
Estimated Cost: Not yet announced
Reference Pricing from Recent Years (for context):
  • Early-bird in-person member: around $649
  • Early-bird in-person non-member: around $899
  • Virtual tickets (prior years): approximately $139–$339
These figures are provided for planning context only and are not confirmed 2026 pricing.
About the Conference
The AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education is an annual conference focused on marketing practice within colleges and universities. The event centers on topics relevant to higher education marketing professionals, including strategy, communications, branding, and enrollment-related marketing efforts.
Programming spans multiple days and includes a mix of sessions, workshops, and structured learning opportunities designed for practitioners working across a range of institution types and marketing roles.
Focus areas
  • Higher education marketing strategy
  • Brand and communications
  • Professional development for marketers
Who should attend
  • Higher education marketing professionals
  • Brand and communications teams
  • Marketing leaders and practitioners
  • Professionals involved in institutional marketing strategy
My take
I’ve attended the AMA Symposium multiple times over the years and built lasting professional relationships through the conference. That includes friendships with Bart and Troy from the Higher Ed Marketer Podcast, which reflects the community connections that often form around this event.
Planning Your 2026 Conference Strategy
Planning your conference calendar is ultimately about making informed choices. Time, budget, and attention are limited, and not every event will be the right fit for every role or institution. Use this list as a starting point, revisit it as 2026 details are finalized, and align your selections with the skills and perspectives you want to bring back to your team.
If you’re mapping out your 2026 professional development plan, having everything in one place makes the process easier. A downloadable conference planning checklist can help you compare options, track deadlines, and build a plan that fits your goals and budget.
And if you’re planning your 2026 professional development strategy and want help deciding which conferences make the most sense for your team, I’m happy to be a sounding board.
Through Education Marketing Leader, I host events and conversations focused on the real work of higher ed marketing. You can explore upcoming events or reach out if you’d like to compare options and build a plan that fits your goals.