What to Expect from Kuali Days + DevCon 2018
Have you heard about Kuali Days + DevCon? It’s all happening in sunny San Diego this November. You can enjoy the weather and participate in a conference that was designed specifically to cultivate ideas, spark collaboration, and encourage discussion among higher education professionals. Kuali Days isn’t just for users either; its for anyone interested in improving higher education administration.
The conference blends practical sessions on operating Kuali products with sessions by administration experts, insights into current trends in higher education, and much more. If you’ve never had the pleasure of attending, here’s what to expect from Kuali Days.
Meet, Learn, and Network with the Community
Community is part of Kuali’s identity, so naturally, our conference will focus on building it up. After all, Kuali was created by a community of higher education administrators who wanted better tools to do their job. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to connect with peers who are working through challenges similar to the ones you face every day. At Kuali Days you’ll meet peers that you can keep in touch with; communicating, comparing, and sharing information about the systems you use will open your eyes to new methods of problem-solving.
Stephen Dowdy, Director of Research Information Systems and Integrations at the University of Maryland, explains that for him, one of the best parts is “the people you meet, the stories you have while you’re around the lunch table… We love the fact that we’re a community and it’s these kinds of conferences that bring us together.” Another guest’s favorite thing about Kuali Days, “Connecting with old friends and making new contacts so you can share and compare resources, code, strategies, and knowledge.”
“The timing and schedule was wonderful,” one attendee told us. “Forty-five minute sessions and not starting until 9 gave me plenty of time to network and enjoy the conference instead of feeling overwhelmed when it was done each day.”
Breakout Sessions and Collaboration
Kuali Days + DevCon holds special breakout sessions to enable you to glean insight from other attendees. One attendee told us that “the listening breakout sessions the Kuali employees held to get ideas and suggestions from the wider community” were the best part of the conference.
You’re not alone! Others at educational institutions across the nation might be struggling with similar, or completely different challenges. As you chat about those issues, you’ll discover new strategies to achieve your goals. One Kuali Days attendee told us that it was “very useful to collaborate with other colleagues and learn from their experiences, or see how they are using the same software, differently and in a unique way.”
Jodi McKeeman has been attending Kuali Days for several years. As a Business Analyst and Project Manager at the University of Washington, she explains that the conference is “a great way to be able to collaborate with other institutions, find out what configurations work for them and what lessons they’ve learned.” Peer discussions, whether they’re about similarities or differences, achievements or challenges, provide amazing opportunities that you’ll only have at Kuali Days.
Meet the Kuali Team
Kuali aims to offer caring, one-on-one support throughout the year— but there is something special about getting to collaborate in-person, face to face.
In the words of Tanya Baird, Executive Assistant to the Provost at CSU-Pueblo, “For me, the best thing is that I have one-on-one time with actual Kuali staff. I get to put a face with the voice that I’ve talked to for the last 8 months! I bring my list of things that I would like to see or questions that I have and they’re so gracious to spend that time with me.”
Enjoyable, Fun-Filled Locations
The Kuali Days conference always takes place in a beautiful, bustling city with plenty to see and do. Previous locations include Austin, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; and San Diego, California. With hiking, shopping, dining, watersports, nightlife, museums, concerts, or historic sites, each city offers opportunities to try something new and expand your horizons. Who knows— you might decide to extend your stay beyond the conference for some extra fun!
More Exclusive Insight with Kuali DevCon
If you want to be in-the-know about upcoming Kuali development projects and new products, sign up for Kuali DevCon in addition to the Kuali Days conference. Adding DevCon to your conference package gives you exclusive admittance to the DevCon sessions— which means you get first-hand knowledge of what’s in the works for Kuali in the future. In addition, you’ll be able to access hands-on sessions where Kuali developers and community coders showcase innovative ways to accomplish more with your code.
You’ll also have the opportunity to give input and suggestions to the Kuali DevCon team and possibly influence future product offerings.
Kuali Days + Kuali DevCon San Diego 2018
In 2018, Kuali Days begins on Monday, November 11, with an opening session and reception. You’ll enjoy a variety of workshops, sessions, delicious meals, and after-hours events on Tuesday and Wednesday, before finishing up with closing sessions and a delectable luncheon on Thursday.
You can register just for the Kuali Days conference, or sign up for Kuali Days plus Kuali DevCon San Diego 2018. For this fall’s Kuali Days, receive special conference rates at the gorgeous Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. Reserve your room by October 15, right after you register for the conference.
