About Improving University Teaching

The International Conference on Improving University Teaching (IUT) invites you to join us for our 34th annual forum to improve higher education in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. Each year, the IUT Conference offers the opportunity for participants from across the globe to share practices, discoveries, and challenges in improving the effectiveness of postsecondary teaching and learning. The IUT Conference examines topics relevant to students, faculty, and staff in higher education as well as to representatives of business and organizations concerned with higher education.

In 1975, the first IUT Conference was organized in Heidelberg, Germany by Ben Massey of the University of Maryland system. Over time, the conference has grown in attendance and number of nations represented. After an impressive 27 years with the conference, Massey retired and conference leadership was assumed by Co-Directors, Jane Halonen of University of West Florida and Peter Seldin of Pace University. Their 5 years of leadership brought about positive changes in the conference format, registration systems, and increased relationships with several universities around the globe.  Assisting with the conference in 2008 and assuming full responsibility of the IUT Conference for 2009, Todd Zakrajsek of The University of North Carolina has already begun to add options for those who wish to present at the conference and a new system for serving as the host institution.

IUT emphasizes dialogue and sharing among conference participants through provocative keynote addresses, interactive theme sessions, workshops, concurrent sessions, poster presentations, and expert panel discussions. The conference offers further opportunities for international exchanges during the coffee breaks, lunches, and evening social events.

Our conference theme this year is Navigating Innovations in Teaching and Learning. It will provide an opportunity to bring together creative thinking about higher education and an opportunity to share new developments in teaching and learning. IUT has maintained an emphasis in changing the pedagogical paradigm from “teacher- centered” to “learning-centered.” This year will be no exception. Our emphasis on innovations this year broadens our focus to help capture the excitement of new developments in higher education. We welcome submissions that address any aspect of innovation that positively influences learning, teaching, and university life.