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Pre-Conference Institutes
CSWE is pleased to offer pre-conference events at the 2026 Annual Conference. These pre-conference events will be held Wednesday, October 21, 2026 and Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Attendance at each event requires a separate registration and fee. For 2026 pre-conference events, Continuing Education (CE) credits are included in the cost of the Institute.
Register for a pre-conference institute or summit in the registration portal! Registration opens early May 2026. Already registered for the conference? You can revise your registration and add a pre-conference session by visiting the registration portal.
CSWE Center for Diversity Pre-Conference Institute
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | View Agenda
As part of the 2026 Annual Conference, CSWE will host its annual Center for Diversity Pre-Conference Institute, open to faculty, students, and staff from social work programs. This institute will begin on-site at the conference location and participants will travel together to off-site locations to engage directly with Atlanta’s rich history, vibrant communities, and ongoing efforts toward equity, justice, and resilience.
Through visits to sites across the city, participants will deepen their understanding of Atlanta’s past, present, and future through a social work lens. The institute is designed to foster critical reflection on the social, cultural, historical, and structural factors that shape communities, while also highlighting the strengths, leadership, and resilience present within them. Participants will leave with a richer appreciation of place-based learning and a stronger understanding of how social work education and practice can be informed by community history, lived experience, and local context.
| Registration Fees |
|---|
| $295 Boxed lunch and transportation during the event is included |
AI & Technology in Social Work Education Institute
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | View Agenda
Join the AI and Technology in Social Work Education Institute, a pre-conference experience at the 2026 CSWE Annual Conference for anyone interested in how technology is shaping the future of social work education. This institute is designed for administrators, faculty, deans and directors, field instructors, instructional designers, and others who want to explore how digital tools are changing the learning landscape and what that means for preparing students for practice.
The institute will offer space for collaboration, experimentation, and reflection on the opportunities and challenges presented by AI and emerging technologies. Sessions will examine how social work education can help students use technology in ways that are ethical, effective, critically informed, and responsive to the realities of practice and community life.
The AI and Technology in Social Work Education Pre-Conference Institute agenda will be available in late May 2026.
| Registration Fees |
|---|
| $295 Boxed lunch included |
Leadership Development Institute
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | View Agenda
The Leadership Development Institute at the 2026 CSWE Annual Conference is an all-day pre-conference experience designed to support current and emerging leaders in social work education. The institute will focus on strengthening the knowledge, skills, and practices needed to build healthy, forward-looking workplace environments where people feel valued, supported, and motivated to contribute.
Recognizing the growing complexity of leadership in higher education and social work, the institute will create space for participants to engage with practical and strategic approaches to leadership development. Topics will include promoting workplace civility, fostering inclusive belonging, and applying futures thinking to leadership challenges and opportunities. The institute is intended to help participants reflect on the kind of organizational cultures they want to build and the leadership practices needed to sustain them.
The Leadership Development Pre-Conference Institute agenda will be available in late May 2026.
| Registration Fees | Continuing Education Credits (CEs) |
|---|---|
| $295 Boxed lunch included |
Coming Summer 2026 |
Field Education Institute
Sponsored by Preferra Insurance Company RRG
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | View Agenda
The CSWE Field Education Institute is designed for anyone engaged in or interested in field education, including deans and directors, field directors, and field personnel. The institute provides a space for both new and experienced field educators to come together, share knowledge, and collaborate in strengthening one of the most essential components of social work education.
For 2026, the institute will focus on critical issues shaping field education by examining the historical foundations that have informed field learning, recognizing the resilience embedded in social work’s legacy, and advancing practices that support student success, agency partnerships, and community well-being. The institute will provide space for thoughtful engagement with the ways field education can honor the profession’s history while responding to current realities with creativity, equity, and reflective practice.
Sessions will explore how field education practices draw on historical knowledge, foster resilience in students and communities, and strengthen current educational models. Relevant topics will include supervision, resilient and reciprocal field partnerships, strategies for supporting student well-being, and emerging challenges and opportunities across contemporary field settings.
The Field Education Pre-Conference Institute agenda will be available in late May 2026.
| Registration Fees | Continuing Education Credits (CEs) |
|---|---|
| $295 Boxed lunch included |
Coming Summer 2026 |
Assessment Institute
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | View Agenda
Join the Assessment Institute at the 2026 CSWE Annual Conference. Designed for faculty and academic staff members involved in assessment of student learning outcomes and program evaluation, this institute will explore program experiences, best practices, and practical approaches to assessment.
Sessions will be hosted by CSWE accreditation staff and social work faculty, and will address many of the types of assessment reflected in the 2022 Educational Policies and Accreditation Standards: competency-based student learning outcomes, ADEI, and program outcomes. The institute offers a space for participants to share ideas, examine effective models, and strengthen the role of assessment in supporting student learning, program improvement, and organizational effectiveness.
The Assessment Pre-Conference Institute agenda will be available in late May 2026.
| Registration Fees |
|---|
| $295 Boxed lunch included |
Student Summit
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | View Agenda
The goal of the summit is to foster a deeper understanding of leadership knowledge and skills as students prepare to enter professional roles across practice, policy, research, education, and community settings. This year’s summit will focus on resilience and leadership, highlighting how students can lead with purpose, adaptability, and courage in a rapidly changing world. Sessions will encourage students to think broadly about leadership development and consider how resilience, justice, and community can shape their professional paths.
The Student Summit agenda will be available in late May 2026.
| Registration Fees |
|---|
| $25 Boxed lunch included |