2026 GCEC Conference at FSU
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Call for Session Proposals
GCEC Conference | October 15–17, 2026

The GCEC Conference brings together entrepreneurship educators, center leaders, and ecosystem builders from around the world to explore what is working, what is changing, and what is needed next in entrepreneurship education and programming.

As the Conference program takes shape, we invite GCEC members to submit session proposals that reflect current challenges, innovations, and emerging opportunities across entrepreneurship centers and ecosystems. While final session tracks will be shaped by the proposals received, submissions may align with, but are not limited to, the following Conference focus areas:

  • Power of Momentum: Amplifying Engagement and Growth. Momentum as a force multiplier for program and center energy, engagement, and impact over time. This is the track for anything you're doing that's generating a real buzz on campus or in the community. 
  • Entrepreneurship Teaching and Learning: Innovative courses, pedagogy, and assessment tools.
  • Best Practices for Center Leaders: Leadership strategies for both faculty and non-faculty directors.
  • The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Creative approaches to teaching and measuring the mindset.
  • Technology and AI: Tools for teaching, center operations, and tech-stack resources.
  • Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Programming: Incubators, accelerators, and student competitions.
  • Experiential Learning Models: Summer programming, startup internships, and novel initiatives.
  • Center Operations and Leadership: Funding models, team structure, and human capital management.
  • Marketing and External Relations: Branding, communications, and community outreach.
  • Placemaking: Designing and managing innovation districts, spaces, and co-working environments.
  • Community Engagement: Mentor networks, alumni volunteers, and corporate partnerships.
  • Ecosystem Building: Campus-centric, local, and regional partnership orchestration.
  • Startup Capital: Angel networks, venture funds, and non-dilutive grant funding.
  • Global Entrepreneurship: Study abroad, global mindsets, and cross-center collaborations.
  • Research Integration: Leveraging scholarly research for programming and courses.
  • Ethics and Impact Initiatives: AI ethics and responsible innovation inside and outside the classroom.
  • Specialty Programming: Arts entrepreneurship, impact-focused initiatives, and niche programs.

Proposals that do not clearly fit into a single focus area but offer valuable insights, practical tools, or novel approaches are strongly encouraged.

How to Submit

Session proposals must be submitted through Reviewr, GCEC’s session submission and review platform. To get started, create a Reviewr account or log in to an existing Reviewr account using the link on the right-hand side of the screen.
Please note: your Reviewr account is separate from your GCEC membership login.

Important Dates

  • Proposal Open Date: Monday, April 6, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT
  • Submission Deadline Date: Monday, June 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT

Session Acceptance Timeline

Following the June 1 submission deadline, all proposals will undergo a comprehensive peer-review process. Proposals will be evaluated based on their relevance to current ecosystem challenges, the clarity of learning objectives, and their potential for high engagement with our global community.

What to Expect: On July 15, all primary session submitters will receive an email notification regarding the status of their proposal.

  • If Accepted: You will receive a formal invitation with instructions on how to confirm your participation, finalize your session description for the mobile app, and register for the conference. 
  • If Not Selected: We receive a high volume of exceptional proposals each year and, due to limited session blocks, cannot accommodate all submissions. We encourage all applicants to attend the conference to engage in the vital conversations happening across our network.

The GCEC Conference speaker proposals are managed by the host. If you have questions, please email the FSU team at gcec@jmc.fsu.edu. Please be sure to register for the conference early!

Each submission is peer reviewed by GCEC members and the host team using the following rubric. 

Scale: 
5 – exceptionally demonstrates
4 – mostly demonstrates 
3 – somewhat demonstrates
2 – hardly demonstrates
1 – does not demonstrate or is incomplete

Alignment: Is this topic aligned with the conference theme track for which it was submitted?

Learning: Does this topic provide valuable insights and “ah-ha” moments to the attendees?

Uniqueness: Is this a unique topic that attendees cannot easily learn about elsewhere?

Relevance: Is this topic relevant in the current higher education climate and of interest to a broad audience?

Application: Will actionable, implementable ideas be shared?

Engagement: Will there be a high level of attendee engagement during the session?

Presenter experience: Does the presenter have demonstrated expertise in the topic area?