Call for Proposals: ACCUO-ENOHE Joint 2018 Conference

The Conference Planning Committee of the ENOHE-ACCUO Joint Conference 2018 is now calling for proposals for presentations (including papers, workshops and roundtables). The conference is set for June 6-8, 2018 at the University of Edinburgh and is titled "Resolving Conflicts on Campus: Strategies for Enhanced Policies and Effective Operations." Workshops are sought on the general conference themes or sub-themes in English, French, or Spanish.

Proposals should include:

• Title: this should succinctly reflect what is being proposed;
• Category: case study, practice-oriented or policy-oriented;
• Presentation Style: (a) a presentation as part of a round-table (60 minutes; (b) a good practice/special project session (90 minutes); or (c) an interactive workshop (200 minutes, with a integrated coffee-break); and
• Abstract: core idea and objective of your proposal: 300 words maximum.

The ENOHE 2018 Conference has two major related themes:

Theme One: Strategies and Perspectives

The idea of being the social conscience of a higher education institution or set of institutions is central to the task of academic ombudspersons. Strategies for reaching this goal encompass casework, consultation, formal recommendations and committee work. Early and fair resolution of conflicts are supported by relationship building and interacting with campus communities. We will explore the different experiences and perspectives of higher education ombudspersons in an variety of settings: campus-based, regional or national mandates. We will look at the titles we use, ombuds or other, and the rationale.

Sub-themes include:

• starting a new ombuds office;
• ombuds role in campus-based settings and within national schemes;
• the challenges of working within university hierarchies; and
• developing exemplary complaints handling practices.

Theme Two: Effective Operations

In their daily work ombudspersons are provided with unique vantage points on campus and across the higher education system remove to identify upcoming trends and potential problem areas. These may not be as easily or as quickly identified by others in academic life. The piecemeal nature of casework, however, can make its overall institutional effect difficult to measure. The translation of ombuds recommendations into institution-wide practices is also difficult to track and measure. The impact of ombudspersons’ work is varied. There may be small victories from relationship building and helping to solve every-day campus problems. There may be systemic resolutions in the form of changes to sector policy and gradual shifts in practices and paradigms.

Sub-themes include:

• adopting the Innsbruck Descriptors;
• conflict management styles of ombudspersons; and
• professional development through experiential learning (national and international networks), ombuds internship training and strategies and sharing of high quality practice.

Send your proposal(s) no later than March 5, 2018 to hello @ enohe . net (with no spaces).

Related posts: ENOHE Publishes Proceedings of Joint Conference with ACCUO; ENOHE Newsletter Marks Decennial; ENOHE Posts Agenda for 2014 Conference; ENOHE Posts Agenda for 2015 Conference; HiOA Ombuds Recaps ENOHE Conference; ENOHE Members Adopt Resolution Re Independence; ENOHE Seeks Administrative Home for 2017; ENOHE Posts Agenda for First Webinar; ENOHE Posts Report from 2015 Conference; Call for Papers: ENOHE 2017 Strasbourg; ENOHE Announces Agenda for 2017 Annual Conference; ENOHE and ACCUO Announce 2018 Conference in Scotland