SCAIR Annual Conference 2026:

Early Bird Registration is open now!

March 12-March 13, 2026 | Hilton Columbia Center

Mark your calendar for the SCAIR Annual Conference on March 12–13, 2026. Our 2026 theme—IR/IE: Charting Pathways to Excellence—spotlights the interdependence of Institutional Research (IR) and Institutional Effectiveness (IE). We’ll focus on the practices, partnerships, and professional standards that connect evidence to action across planning, assessment, accreditation, student success, finance, and governance.

 

Who should attend
IR/IE professionals, assessment, and accreditation leads, data stewards, analysts, decision-support staff, and campus leaders who rely on evidence to improve outcomes.

 

Key timeline 

• Call for Proposals opens: Friday, November 14, 2025
  • Proposals due: Friday, December 19, 2025
  • Notifications to presenters: January 9, 2026
• Professional of the Year nominations open: Friday, November 14, 2025
  • Nominations due: Friday, December 19, 2025 – extended to January 30, 2026
• Registration opens (Early Bird): Monday, January 5
  • Early Bird ends: Friday, January 23
  • Regular registration period: January 24 – March 8
  • Hotel block deadline: Tuesday, February 10

 

Registration & pricing (includes SCAIR Membership through March 2027)

• Early Bird: $270
• Regular: $300
• Full-Time Grad Student: $150
• Can’t make the conference? Purchase an annual membership only for $50

 

Keynote and Plenary Speakers

• Carolyn Mata, Ph.D., Coordinator of Data and Research, South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, Inc., and nationally recognized Strategic Higher Education Consultant, who will deliver a keynote address on elevating IR/IE in uncertain times
• Christopher Robinson, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Information Technology and Data Analysis, SC Commission on Higher Education, who will lead a plenary session on CHEMIS 2.0.

 

Sponsors

If your institution has a valuable relationship with a vendor that could benefit others, please let us know! SCAIR has kept conference registration and sponsorship rates the same as last year, and with your help connecting us to relevant sponsors, we can continue to keep costs low while offering a high-quality conference experience. Reach out to any member of the Executive Committee with your recommendations or introductions.