It’s game on: Congress 2018 begins in just 130 days! Registration opens today.

Posted: January 15, 2018 11:22 a.m.

Register now to attend or present, apply for grad student travel awards or volunteer at Congress 2018 – Canada’s largest academic gathering to be hosted at the University of Regina May 26-June 1. Image provided by External Relations.

With just 130 days to the start of Congress 2018, registration officially opens today. Canada’s largest academic gathering – Congress 2018 – to be held on the U of R campus from May 26-June 1 is a massive undertaking.

The 87th annual Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences brings together more than 70 scholarly associations, each holding their annual conference under one umbrella. As the host, the University of Regina will welcome more than 7,000 participants from across Canada and around the world. It’s one of the largest events ever held on campus, and in the city of Regina.

“Regina knows how to throw open the doors and extend a warm prairie welcome to neighbours from far and wide – as we did with the 2013 Grey Cup, the 2013 Juno Music Awards, and the 2014 North American Indigenous Games. Our community comes together like no other to ensure guests feel welcome and experience true Saskatchewan hospitality,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Vianne Timmons.

Community is the inspiration for the theme of this 87th Congress, says President Timmons. Regina, once home to buffalo hunting grounds, has a rich history as a sacred meeting place for generations of Indigenous peoples. The theme, Gathering diversities, honours that history of community and celebrates our shared future.

Planning for Congress has been underway since January 16, 2015, when the University successfully won the bid to host Congress 2018. Patty Niebergall, the University’s Project Manager for Congress 2018, along with Dr. André Magnan, Congress 2018 Academic Convenor, have been working with faculty and staff across campus and with community partners throughout Regina to make this Congress a success.

“We’re excited about welcoming our guests to the U of R campus and to our incredible city. From our beautiful location in Wascana Park, to all the art, culture, gastronomy, and hospitality Regina has to offer, we look forward to showcasing our community. It will be an amazing week of world-class scholarship, research, and cultural and community programming in our beautiful prairie city,” said Magnan.

The January 15 registration launch signals a call to action for three primary Congress activities that will ramp up over the next 130 days:

• Registration opens today for members of the University of Regina and broader academic community to attend and/or present at Congress. Seventy scholarly associations are expected to take part in Congress, with delegations ranging from 15 to 1,000 members, on topics from literary studies to education, political science, communications, and history;

• Applications are now open for current and recent graduate students to access 600 Graduate Student Travel Awards totaling more than $270,000; and,

• Registration is now open for more than 500 volunteer positions and 120 paid positions in areas such as event management, sustainability, hospitality and communications. Volunteers will play a vital role in this landmark national academic event.

With just over four months until Congress 2018, it’s game on! Visit Congress2018.ca today.