ABSTRACTS
AACC will accept abstracts for consideration for the agenda for the 2026 annual conference from August 22 to October 3. All abstracts must be finalized and submitted before 5:00 p.m. ET.
The official AACC conference website will launch during the third or fourth week in September. The official site will include registration fees, housing, frequently asked questions, and other pertinent information. Please plan to visit the permanent site later next month at www.aaccannual.com.
This year, the association has eliminated conference tracks and instituted tagging. For each abstract submitted, you can select up to three tags to describe your abstract content. This gives attendees the ability to further sort content for those areas in which they are interested. The tags are:
AI
Completion Strategies
Dual Enrollment
Emerging Technologies
Enrollment
Guided Pathways
International Collaboration
Leadership Development
Policy
Public/Private Partnerships
Research
Retention
Student Basic Needs
Student Supports
Transfer
Wellness and Mental Health
Workforce Learning
The association is accepting the abstract types listed in the chart below. Success Story and Learning Lab sessions require learning outcomes, a plan for assessment, development of a session timeline, and a plan for post-evaluation.
If you cannot complete your abstract in one sitting, please save it. The abstract system will generate a confirmation email for you. You can access the Abstract Service Center (ASC) through that email. If you copy and paste your password from your confirmation email to log in to the ASC, please make sure to first copy and paste it into Notepad to remove any spaces or formatting that you cannot see, before copying it from Notepad and pasting it into the abstract password field.
| Breakout Session Type | Description |
| Bright Ideas | 30-minute sessions that introduce a new idea or concept with actionable steps for implementation.
No more than two presenters, including the submitter. |
| Research/Scholarly Paper | A 30-minute session on new research or a scholarly paper written by experts and academics.
No more than two presenters, including the submitter. |
| Future Focus Forum | A 45-minute session focusing on an emerging trend and/or issue that community colleges should pay attention to. Initially, a presenter orients attendees to the problem or question and the relevant context. The abstract should briefly identify the question or concern and the relevant contextual factors, along with the future-focused solution.
No more than two presenters, including the submitter. |
| Success Story Spotlight | This 60-minute session focuses on a college program launched post-COVID, which has a demonstrated track record of success or early indicators of success. This session type must have an established goal and include learning outcomes and hands-on activities for attendees. AACC will assess attendees in these sessions to determine if the presenters met established learning outcomes.
No more than three presenters, including the submitter. |
| Learning Lab Experience | These 75-minute workshops teach a specific skill (like assessment, program creation or evaluation, interpreting data) and include one or more exercises that let attendees practice using this skill. This session type must have an established goal and specifics about what attendees will cover, and include learning outcomes that are measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based.
Skills Building Workshops are ideal for: · Providing a structured workshop that identifies what an attendee is expected to walk away from the session with · Providing attendees with hands-on experience · Giving attendees feedback to strengthen their understanding AACC will assess attendees in these sessions to determine if the presenters met established learning outcomes. No more than four presenters, including the submitter. |
Learn more about the abstract questions here.
Start an abstract submission here.