Florida International University

Biscayne Bay Campus, North Miami

February 5-6, 2026

2026 FAIE Annual Conference

Thank you for joining us at the Florida Association of International Educators Annual Conference at the Florida International University’s beautiful Biscayne Bay campus in North Miami!

Visit the FAIE Flicker page for photos from the conference.

Stay tuned for 2027!

Grants & Awards

FAIE Annual Conference Grants

Need some help funding your trip to the FAIE Annual Conference? Apply for a grant to cover the cost of your conference registration!

Applications are due by December 3, 2025. If you have any questions, contact the FAIE Awards and Grants Coordinator, Sara Brake, at sbrake@uwf.edu.

Apply for Conference Grant

You Made a World of Difference Award

Do you know an outstanding international educator? Recognize their achievements by nominating them for the You Made a World of Difference Award! This award was first established in 2007 to honor an individual who has made a meaningful contribution to the field of international education.

The deadline to submit a nomination is December 3, 2025. If you have any questions, contact the FAIE Awards and Grants Coordinator, Sara Brake, at sbrake@uwf.edu.

For more details about the nomination criteria or to submit a nomination, click the button below.

Submit a Nomination

Hotel & Travel

Hotels

Hotels listed below have a discounted FAIE room block available. All are about 15 minutes drive to reach FIU BBC.

Courtyard by Marriott Miami Aventura Mall
  • Rooms are $199 per night, available February 4-7
  • FAIE rate includes complimentary parking
  • Book by January 14 at this special link
Residence Inn Miami Aventura Mall
  • Rooms are $229 per night, available February 4-9
  • FAIE rate includes breakfast and complimentary parking
  • Book by January 14 at this special link
Hilton Miami Aventura
  • Rooms are $249 per night, available February 4-7
  • FAIE rate includes discounted parking ($20 per night)
  • Book by January 7 at this special link

Travel & Parking

Getting There

Use the Google Maps tool below to find your way to important conference locations.

Parking

Parking is available near the conference venue for $5 per day (plus tax/fees). You can pre-register your car online by visiting this link. We recommend parking in Lot 1 or Lot 2 for Wolfe University Center. Lot 5 is the closest parking for the Kovens Conference Center on Thursday evening.

Click here to register for parking

Conference Schedule

View/Download the 2026 Program

Schedule at a Glance

The FAIE Annual Conference features two days of activities for international educators. This schedule is preliminary and subject to change.

Thursday, February 5th

7:30 am – 5:00 pm

Pre-conference Workshop: F-1 Student Advising: Intermediate

FIU Wolfe University Center, Room 155

*pre-registration required*

3:30-5:15 pm

FIU “Points of Pride”

Tour the Chaplin School of Hospitality and the Marine Science Center

Wear comfotable shoes for walking

Location: Meet in front of Chaplin School (adjacent to tennis courts)

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Annual State Conference Opening Event

Sponsored by Insurance for Students

Location: Roz and Cal Kovens Conference Center

Heavy hors d’oeuvres & open bar provided

Friday, February 6th

Breakfast and Conference Opening

8:00-9:00 am

Main Location: FIU Wolfe University Center

Sponsored by Terra Dotta

8:30 am – 10:00 am

Keynote Speaker Leland Lazarus,

President and Board Chair of the Fulbright Association

WUC Ballroom

Session Block 1 – 10:10 – 11:10 amUnique Program Models: Maximizing Student ROI and Building Capacity through Innovative Program Design

Oliver McSurley & Randolph Scott

English Language Programs, Florida’s Economy, and Recent Political Policy

Lexa Thompson
Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) Updates

Regina Carvalho & Jennifer Donnelly 		Belong Beyond Borders: Creating Connections and Community for International Students

Natalia Bocsi & Lynnette Rivers

WUC 155WUC 157WUC 221WUC 223

11:10 am – 11:30 am

Coffee Break and Exhibitor Hall

WUC Ballroom

Sponsored by International Student Insurance

Session Block 2 – 11:30 – 12:30 pmInnovative Engagement: Learning in a Connected World

Laura Lamour

“You Belong”: Lessons From A People-Centered Partnership

Rola Zahr, Grant Cutler, & Danny Fernandez
Hot Topics in Immigration

Anielka Nortelus & Kelly Poppen		Best Practices for Crafting an Effective Pre-Departure Orientation for Study Abroad

Ian Keil

WUC 155WUC 157WUC 221WUC 223

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch & FAIE Business Meeting

WUC Ballroom

Featuring FIU Coffee Guild

Sponsored by CIEE

Session Block 3 – 2:00 – 3:00 pmIgniting Learning and Adventure: Ensuring Academic Outcomes in Short-Term, Immersive Study abroad Progams

Julia Lynes

Stuck in Limbo: How Universities Can Navigate Visa Delays & Denials for International Students & Employees

Andrea Huerta-Rodriguez
FCIE and Florida’s Flirtation with Global Education

David Moore		Mental Health & Well-Being for College/University Advisors & International Education Professionals

Anaberly “Ana” Chaviano & Kelly Poppen

WUC 155WUC 157WUC 221WUC 223

3:00 pm – 3:20 pm

Coffee Break and Exhibitor Hall

WUC Ballroom

Sponsored by LewerMark Insurance

Session Block 4 – 3:20 – 4:20 pmUnlocking New Flightpaths (UNF): Leveraging Technology to Expand Study Abroad Accessibility and Capacity

Luisa Martinez Joyce
Designing Responsible Study Abroad Programs for A Changing World

Michael Kung
IE Table Talks

Facilitated by FAIE Board Members		Helping International Students Succeed in US Higher Education

Lergia Olivo

WUC 155WUC 157WUC 221WUC 223

4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Closing Ceremony & “Final Cheers”

Location: Chaplin School Bistro

Sponsored by Fragomen

Exhibit/Sponsor

Thank you to all of our exhibitors and sponsors for the 2026 Annual Conference!

Please visit our Sponsors page to learn more about the amazing people supporting FAIE this year!

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or exhibitor, please review the packages available. When you are ready, you can register and complete your payment by clicking the button below. Click here to download the flyer as a pdf.

Sponsor/Exhibitor Sign-up Form

All sponsors will be recognized under their specific sponsor status on the FAIE Website. All sponsors and exhibitors will receive the attendee list after the conference concludes. For more information or questions, contact the FAIE development coordinator, Betty Jensen, at bjensen@fsu.edu.

Pre-Conference Workshops

2026 Pre-Conference Workshops

Pre-conference workshops will be held on Thursday, February 5, and require an additional registration separate from the main conference.

We encourage you to register by the December 12th early bird deadline! We will make decisions to run or cancel the workshops based on early bird registrations. We will notify all registrants by December 19th if there is any change to our scheduled workshops.

F-1 Student Advising: Intermediate

This workshop will run from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. Registration costs $380 and includes NAFSA training materials, breakfast, lunch, and snacks/coffee throughout the day.

All workshops are led by qualified trainers and follow the NAFSA CEP curriculum. Workshop descriptions can be found on the NAFSA Core Education Program website.

Submit a Proposal

Proposal Submissions are closed

Thank you for your interest in presenting. Unfortunately, submissions are now closed. If you submitted a proposal, we will contact you by October 27 with the result.

The Florida Association of International Educators (FAIE) is excited to announce a call for proposals for our annual conference being held February 5-6, 2026 at Florida International University’s beautiful Biscayne Bay campus. The 2026 conference theme is “International Heat: Igniting Global Vision in the Magic City.”

International Educators across the state are invited to share their insights, ideas, and opportunities by submitting a session proposal for inclusion at the conference. Presenting at the annual conference offers the opportunity for professional development, sharing innovative ideas, and generating relationships with like-minded colleagues from diverse institutions.

The sessions committee welcomes all submissions. Some suggested topics of particular interest are:

  • Study Abroad
    • Mergers and acquisitions: shifting partnership models
    • Innovative program models for increased accessibility
    • Sustainability in study abroad program design
    • Consortium models: benefits and challenges
    • Innovative marketing and recruitment for study abroad
    • Supporting international students seeking to study abroad
  • Research and Special Interest Topics in International Education
    • Mental health for students participating in study abroad programs
    • Advancements in research for International Education
  • International Student and Scholar Support Services
    • Change of Status | Where our role ends and where students should seek external legal counsel
    • When to deny international students | I-20 delays, visa processing challenges and setting international students up for success
    • Best practices in international student and scholar support services
  • English Language Programs
    • Recruitment, Retention, and Support for English Language Learners in Today’s Climate
    • Navigating Policy Changes and Advocating for ELPs
    • Promoting Inclusion and Equity in an ELP Programming
    • The Impact of AI on Language Learning
    • Gamification in English Language Teaching and Learning
    • Task and Project Based Learning in the Digital Age
    • Fostering Global Citizenship through ELT
    • Teacher Development and Well-being in a Changing Landscape
Submission Deadline EXTENDED: October 3 October 10, 2025

Need an idea or a co-presenter? You can submit an idea in search of a co-presenter via this form


This year, FAIE will offer a discounted conference registration rate of $220 for all accepted presenters!

Submit Your Proposal

Registration

2026 Annual Conference Registration

Register Now!

Registration opens October 31, 2025

Early Bird Conference Registration ended 12/12
Regular Conference Registration
Main Conference – register 12/13 thru 1/28		$300
Pre-Conference Workshop (NAFSA CEP)
Thursday workshops are a SEPARATE registration and is not included in the conference registration		$380
Discounted Registration for FIU students/faculty/staff and students at Florida schools
Must have a special registration code to access – email florida.faie@gmail.com for help		$220

Registration is now closed. We hope to see you at the Conference!

Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors

It is not possible to hold our annual conference without some extra help. We have some wonderful sponsors and exhibitors who support FAIE and international education through financial contributions and valuable services.

Please visit our Sponsors page for more about our FAIE 2026 Conference sponsors.