Festival of Teaching and Learning
Envision | Celebrate | Connect
The Festival of Teaching and Learning is the University of Alberta’s annual celebration of teaching and learning. This vibrant event brings educators from across our university community together to share ideas, reflect on practice, and learn from one another.
More than just a conference, the festival is an inviting place for reflection, connection, and discovery across our teaching community. As an expression of the university’s shared values in action, the festival invites us to envision new possibilities, celebrate teaching and learning, and connect with one another.
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Unwavering curiosity: Encouraging spirit of inquiry that encourages bold ideas, meaningful questions, and reflection on what helps students and instructors thrive.
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A spirit of community: Learning together to strengthen connection, deepen belonging, and help all members of our community flourish.
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Shared accountability: Honouring the braid of past, present, and future by taking up our shared responsibility for reconciliation, enacting overall care and responsibility in our work in teaching and learning.
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Impact through excellence: Championing thoughtful, innovative teaching that makes a meaningful difference for students, colleagues, and the wider community.
Together, these values shape the festival as a space for reflection, constructive dialogue, and discovery in teaching and learning.
Festival Threads
Rooted in the U of A Framework for Effective Teaching, seven festival threads shape the conversations and connections at the heart of the festival each year. Together, they provide a consistent foundation for reflection, dialogue, and collaboration while addressing enduring issues and opportunities in post-secondary education:
Integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices into education is central to Truth and Reconciliation and the commitments made by post-secondary institutions. How do you enact actionable strategies for embedding Indigenous perspectives, decolonizing educational practices, and sustaining meaningful dialogue and relations to further our efforts toward reconciliation in our institutions?
See the University of Alberta’s Indigenous Strategic Plan Braiding Past, Present and Future.
Inclusive spaces elevate learning for all. Participants will explore strategies to improve equity and accessibility, build interconnected communities, and promote a strong sense of belonging in educational environments. How do you create spaces where everyone feels valued, barriers to success are removed, and thriving connections are nurtured?
See the University of Alberta community’s commitment to Access, Community, and Belonging.
Leadership is the catalyst for transformative change in education and to commitments in post-secondary strategic planning. How do educational leaders engage with strategies that empower educators as change agents, inspire innovative teaching practices, and drive meaningful, student-centred transformation within their institutions?
See the University of Alberta strategic plans Shape and Education with Purpose, Braiding Past, Present and Future, Changing the Story, and Student Experience Action Plan.
Save the date for FoTL 2027!
April 27–28, 2027
Plus a special pre-festival event in collaboration with the University of Calgary on April 26!
Mark your calendar, and join us for this vibrant celebration of teaching and learning!
Key milestones to look out for:
- Call for Proposals: Opens mid-November 2026
- Festival Registration: Opens mid-March 2027
Don't miss out! Sign up to get notified the moment the call for proposals and/or festival registration goes live: