Leadership Educators Institute

December 14-16, 2026 | University of Louisville

Faculty and staff across an institution play an essential role in designing, implementing, and evaluating leadership education initiatives through leadership courses and programs, co-curricular opportunities, and new technologies. The Leadership Educators Institute (LEI) is a bi-annual conference planned by and for leadership educators across higher education, offered by NCLP in partnership with ACPA College Student Educators International and NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Featuring plenary sessions and conference-style programs from fellow leadership educators across the globe, LEI creates a space for educators, administrators, scholars, and practitioners to discuss and advance current leadership topics, such as:

• Modern leadership theories and models including new research, applications, and critical perspectives
• Innovative and inclusive curriculum, pedagogy, and strategies for leadership studies courses
• Assessment and evaluation of leadership programs, student development, and learning outcomes
• Future directions in leadership education and development based on widely-used studies and standards such as the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL), the CAS Standards for Leadership Education and Development, and the International Leadership Association (ILA) Guiding Questions
• Unique co-curricular program models and high-impact practices including those with cohort and multi-year engagement, distance and online learning, service-learning, mentoring, and global experiences
• Strategy and management of leadership program operations including staff training, funding, and partnerships
• Intersectional and interdisciplinary approaches to leadership education

Curriculum & Call for Programs

Check out the general schedule for LEI 2026, including familiar favorites and new session types!

General Interest Sessions (60 minutes) are presentations or facilitated workshops that include a combination of research, programmatic strategies, and/or application. These sessions are intended for individual or small groups of presenters with well prepared content focusing on trending topics.  

Learning Labs (30 minutes) are shorter sessions designed to give participants tangible tools and resources to take back to their campus. Presenters will share tips, tricks, training, and/or demonstrations for 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes for questions and/or participant practice.

Lightning Talks (6 minutes) bring together a themed group of presenters, each sharing quick spotlights of a program model, framework, or research idea. Each presenter will have 6 minutes to make their individual pitch. The session will end with small group discussions and questions based on the talks and theme.

Interested in presenting? LEI welcomes programs focused on Research and Assessment in Leadership Programs, Leadership Learning and Pedagogy, and Leadership in Context. Our partners at NASPA manage the call for programs and proposal submission process. Click the button below to be redirected to NASPA's website to create your free NASPA account and submit your LEI proposal. Submissions are due June 22, 2026 at 9:00am ET.

NCLP Awards

NCLP awards the Susan R. Komives Collaborative Leadership Award at LEI. Nomination materials are due by July 15, 2026. Learn more and nominate yourself or a colleague today!

Registration & Travel Information

Registration for LEI 2026 is now open! See below for pricing and registration deadlines. Lodging is available for $129/night plus tax through a reserved room block at the Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport. Our partners at ACPA manage LEI registration and travel. Click the buttons below to be redirected to ACPA's website to complete your registration and reserve your hotel room.