C2UExpo 2027 Call for Proposals

Submit proposals to showcase your community-campus partnership, research, or practice.

The Call for Proposals opens on Monday, November 2, 2026

Community at the Centre — Where Diverse Knowing Meets Common Ground

We invite community members, community organizations, Indigenous partners, practitioners, students and researchers to share their work, experiences and ideas at C2UExpo 2027.

We welcome community-led initiatives, collaborative research, creative approaches, work in progress and honest reflections on what has—and has not—worked. We value different ways of knowing and learning, including knowledge developed through lived experience, professional practice and community relationships. You do not need an academic affiliation to submit.

Your proposal is an opportunity to tell us what you would like to share, why it matters and how others might learn from or contribute to the conversation.

C2UExpo 2027 will feature three days of programming designed around shared learning and relationship building:

Community co-designed programming that centres lived experience and equity-deserving voices
Indigenous-led programming honoured throughout the conference, grounded in Treaty 7 traditions and the teachings of local Elders
Keynotes, panels, performances and workshops led by community practitioners and researchers working as equals, showcasing impactful community-campus partnerships from across Canada and internationally
Practical skill-building sessions focused on tools, methods, and approaches that practitioners can take home and apply in their own contexts
Place-based experiences that connect participants with Calgary’s innovation ecosystem, community organizations, diverse cultures and the land itself
Networking and partnership development for researchers, funders, students, and community organizations seeking new collaborations

Proposals are welcome in English or French. For submission support or to discuss another way to share your proposal, contact c2uexpo@ucalgary.ca.

Quick Links

C2UExpo Home
C2UExpo Sponsors

Questions?

Contact c2uexpo@ucalgary.ca

Nov. 2, 2026

Call for Proposals opens

Dec. 14, 2026

Call for Proposals deadline

Jan.

Proposal adjudication

Jan. 18, 2027

Early bird tickets available

Feb. 15, 2027

Successful proposals notified

March 1, 2027

Presenter confirmations due

1. Community-Based Research Practice, Ethics and Impact

Programming on co-designing research projects, ethics, decolonial and land-based practices, impact evaluation, funding opportunities, and participatory action research.

2. Co-Creating Knowledge and Action

Programming on forming and sustaining partnerships, sharing power and decision-making, building trust and accountability, moving from competition to collaboration, the hidden curriculum of learning to collaborate as equals, co-ownership of data, and working together in a good way.

3. Transforming Systems, Shaping Futures

Programming on how research can contribute to change in economic, political, social and environmental systems at a local, national and global level.

4. Stories as Knowledge: Creative Approaches to Research

Programming showcasing creative and narrative practices, storytelling to community experience, and qualitative data.

Format	Description	Duration/Length
Creative Practice	Short videos, art, dance, etc. for general display.	15 - 30 minutes
Presentation	Short presentation relating to a conference stream.	15 minutes
Panel Discussion	Discussion with active audience engagement.	45 - 60 minutes
Workshop or Roundtable Discussion	Interactive workshop with clear outcomes for participants.	45 - 60 minutes
Poster Presentation	Posters presented and displayed during conference. Maximum poster dimensions are 48x36".	n/a

Abstract Information

General Guidelines

Submit your proposal through this vFairs platform. An “abstract” is simply a short summary of what you would like to share.
Use clear language where possible. If you use an abbreviation, write the full term the first time it appears.
Proposals may be submitted in English or French. Accepted French-language presentations will be delivered in French.
You will receive a confirmation email after submitting your proposal.
No changes can be made after the submission deadline. Please review your proposal carefully before submitting.
If you have questions or need assistance with the submission process, contact c2uexpo@ucalgary.ca.
All proposals will be reviewed. Applicants whose proposals are accepted will receive instructions for confirming their participation.
You are welcome to submit more than one proposal.

Abstract Scoring Criteria

Scoring Guidelines

Proposals are reviewed across the following categories with the first being of primary importance:

Community at the centre: how community partners help shape, lead, or benefit from the work, and how you work together respectfully, honouring diverse ways of knowing, consent, and reciprocity.
Relevance, new thinking & impact: how your work fits the theme and streams, what’s new or useful in it, and the difference it could make for practice, policy, or community.
Clarity & session design: whether your purpose, approach, and takeaways come through, and whether your format suits them.

Indigenous research presented in partnership as a priority

In keeping with wise practices of Indigenous research, we will prioritize submissions relating to Indigenous research where an Indigenous partner connected to the project is a co-presenter or co-facilitator. This partnership should be in place at the time of submission. Submissions relating to Indigenous research that do not include an Indigenous partner as co-presenter or co-facilitator will still be considered.