February 24, 2023
Regular Registration Deadline
February 25, 2023
Late Registration Starts
March 6, 2023
Day One of the MENASA Conference!
17th Annual MENASA NASPA Conference
Regional/Area Virtual Events Supporting the Profession Global Division
March 6 - March 8, 2023 Virtual
The MENASA NASPA conference provides student affairs practitioners with the knowledge and skills to effectively address and support college students. We are currently experiencing the impact of the global pandemic and over course of our collective journeys, we continue to grapple with day-to-day challenges in supporting and caring for our students. As student affairs practitioners we have been constantly adapting and innovating to address these challenges and finding better ways to serve our students' needs and build communities with a sense of belonging in an unpredictable and ever changing environment.
Understanding the Next Generation of Student Affairs
This three-day conference by NASPA and the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) Area, is an opportunity to connect with colleagues regionally and abroad. The conference provides space for discussing innovative ideas, adaptive approaches, use of technology, best practices, lessons learned, and provide tools to understand the next generation of Student Affairs.
Presented By
Call for Programs Now Closed
Our annual conference offers a forum for professionals from all over the world to continue conversations about the role of Student Affairs and the adaptability in methods of providing continuous support. As student affairs practitioners we have been constantly adapting and innovating to address these challenges and finding better ways to serve our students' needs and build communities with a sense of belonging in an unpredictable and ever changing environment.
This three-day conference by NASPA and the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) Area, is an opportunity to connect with colleagues regionally and abroad. Join us as we aim to navigate towards a sustainable and creative new philosophy of experiential learning in student development.
Call for Proposals - Now Closed
The 17th Annual MENASA NASPA conference planning committee invite program proposals from higher education professionals who are part of the essential systems addressing college student experiences. These functions are irreplaceable components of an environment conducive to learning and development, and the field of student affairs prevention professionals passionately dedicated to this work need your expertise. We welcome you to submit a program for this dynamic series of conferences and join us in January to optimize your own programs and services in the company of the largest student affairs health and wellness event in the field.
The conference planning committees encourage program proposals regarding proven practices with content that will engage participants in fruitful discussions and provide meaningful content to bring back to their campuses.
Please note: all presenters must register to attend the 17th Annual MENASA NASPA conference.
Conference Themes and Learning Outcomes
Innovation
A range of topics in this track may include international student orientation, transition, and retention programs; cultural adjustment related to students studying in another culture; ways to increase opportunities for engagement among both international and US-based students; programs that increase fluency and confidence in spoken and conversational languages. Sessions in this track could include best practices, informative information regarding successful programs that could be implemented on other campuses, challenges with international student transition and support, the use of technology and innovation, and other ways to showcase effective work with a specifically international student population.
Strategic Planning
A diverse range of topics are applicable and include study abroad, minority representation in study abroad, student exchange, internships, service-learning, faculty led programs, athletics, and other global opportunities. Sessions in this track might examine best practices, challenges/obstacles, emerging trends, specific programs, and others related to international strategic planning within higher education.
Student Engagement
A range of topics might include intercultural engagement programming, orientation immersion program, social/cultural practices and establishing norms, policy development, course content, political climate, racial justice issues in a global context, or other practices. Sessions in this track could include best practices, challenges/obstacles, emerging practices/trends, specific programs, programming models, academic models, or other related matters from a global perspective.
Professional Development
A range of topics might include programming, orientation, networking, professional training, certification programs, leveraging technology to improve practice, or other opportunities. Sessions in this track could include current practices, challenges/obstacles, emerging practices/trends, specific programs, and models or other related matters on professional development.
Additional Information
Successful Programs
Program reviewers rely on a well-written description to enhance their understanding of the content and goals of the presentation. The conference planning committees encourage program proposals with proven practices and content that will engage participants in fruitful discussions and provide meaningful content to bring back to their campuses.
Successful proposals should include:
- Lengthy description about session content that you will present.
- Relationship of the program to the conference themes outlined below in 'Conference Themes & Learning Outcomes'
- Identification of the program format (e.g., lecture, panel, roundtable) including methods for participant involvement (e.g., discussion, effective practice sharing, case study analysis).
- Discussions of replicability: to what extent can the information presented in this program be replicated at other institutions?
- Evidence of the conceptual foundation for proposal content including ways the program content is grounded in research, relevant experience, a cogent model, or appropriate theory.
- Program proposals should establish a clear connection to the research, framework, model, or theory included in their discussions.
- A list of references to relevant research, models, or theory must be listed in the "References" section.
Tips:
- Draft and save your work in a word processing program to ensure you keep a copy for your records. When you are ready, copy and paste the your description and outline into the text box below.
- There are no word limits on this section. Please provide enough details so that program reviewers can understand the breadth, depth, and scope of your program. This description will not be printed in the program book, website, or otherwise.
- Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
General Proposal Writing Tips:
For additional tips, please visit NASPA’s Program Submission Guidelines: https://www.naspa.org/events/program-submission-guidelines.
MENASA Multaqua: Apply to Present at the Annual Conference
The objective of this resource is to explain the process of preparing a proposal for the MENASA 17th Annual Conference. With a focus on first-time contributors, participants will learn writing strategies that will increase their proposal’s probability of acceptance to the MENASA 17th Annual Conference.
The goal is to simplify the process for novice presenters by presenting comprehensive strategies for writing successful conference proposals for the MENASA 17th Annual Conference.
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
a. Recognize ways to turn their current work/research into a program proposal
b. Recognize the various formats of MENASA conference sessions
c. Comprehend the requirements of each section of the call for proposal application
d. Compose a proposal that aligns with the theme and learning outcomes of the conference
Proposal writing for conferences can be an intimidating process. This webinar will aid in explaining the process of applying to present at the MENASA 17th Annual conference. Directly tied to the professional competency of assessment, evaluation, and research, this session will help facilitate the dissemination of professional scholarship in the MENASA region. Whether you are a practitioner, faculty or student, you are encouraged to share your work and research and this webinar will help you to take the first steps. Attendees will learn how to evaluate and link their skills, knowledge, and experiences to develop successful conference proposals based on theories and practice. The different types of programs will be explained to identify multiple formats for presenting. Then, a step by step process of the program application will follow. Lastly, general “do’s and don'ts” on proposal writing will be given to prepare participants for a successful proposal submission.
Registration
Registration as a member is based on individual membership status at the time of the conference. If your current membership will expire prior to the conference, you will have the option to renew at the time of registration to receive the member rate.
If you are not a current member and are employed by a college or university that is an institutional member, you can join as an international affiliate member for $80USD. NASPA membership provides access to the individual member rate for the conference. Please visit the membership section of the NASPA website to learn more about membership types and benefits. We hope you will consider joining today!
Are you enrolled as a full-time student at a university or college? If so, you are eligible to become a NASPA member at the student rate. Please visit here to find out more information about NASPA student membership.
For a comprehensive listing of NASPA registration policies, please visit this page.
REGISTRATION FEES |
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Early Registration 11/15/2022 to 01/27/2023 |
Regular Registration 01/28/2023 to 02/24/2023 |
Late Registration 02/25/2023 to 03/06/2023 |
NASPA Member |
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$59 | $79 | $89 |
NASPA Membership and Registration |
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$139 |
$159 | $169 |
Non Member |
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$169 | $189 | $199 |
NASPA Student Member |
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$29 | $39 | $49 |
Seeking professional development funding? Submit for a NASPA Foundation Professional Development Scholarship!
Schedule
The schedule has been designed to provide participants with interactive and engaging programming, opportunities for deeper discussion, and networking. As details are finalized, this schedule will be updated.
Subject to change. All times listed are located in the Arabian Standard Time Zone (GMT+3)
March 6
March 7
March 8
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Conference HelpDesk
Details
The virtual conference HelpDesk Hours:
● Monday, 6 March from 08:00 – 13:00 Arabian Standard Time
● Tuesday, 7 March from 08:00 – 13:00 Arabian Standard Time
● Wednesday, 8 March from 08:00 – 13:00 Arabian Standard Time
At the conference registration desk, you will be able to ask questions about the conference and register.
All participants must be registered to attend the conference.
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Conference Opening Session
Opening session from our MENASA Director, Omneya Badr, and 2023 MENASA Conference Chair, Amjad Abdo.
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Keynote Address
Kevin Kruger, Ph.D.
President and CEO, NASPA
10:15 AM - 10:25 AM
Networking Break
Grab a coffee or tea and stretch your legs or stop by the MENASA Lounge and meet some of our conference attendees.
10:30 AM - 11:20 AM
Concurrent Sessions I
11:30 AM - 12:20 PM
Concurrent Sessions II
12:20 PM - 12:30 PM
Close of Conference Day One
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Conference Opening Day Two
Welcome to Day Two of the MENASA Conference
9:10 AM - 9:50 AM
Keynote Address
Mirela Mazalu
Director, Global Division
9:50 AM - 10:25 AM
Professional Development Session
MENASA Lounge
10:30 AM - 11:20 AM
Concurrent Sessions III
11:30 AM - 12:20 PM
Concurrent Sessions IV
12:20 PM - 12:30 PM
Close of Conference Day Two
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Conference Opening Day Three
9:10 AM - 10:00 AM
The State of Student Affairs in the MENASA Region
Details
Keynote Panel Address
Lebanon
Dr. Nayla Al-Akl
Dean - Student Affairs
American University of Beirut
Qatar
Ms. Fatma Mansour Al-Mesleh
Vice President - Student Affairs
Lusail University
China
Dr. Raphael Xaveria Moffett
Chief Student Affairs Officer | Associate Dean for Student Life
Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University
Qatar
Ms. Omneya Badr
Director - MENASA Area (NASPA)
Senior Academic Advisor - Qatar University
10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
MENASA Recognition of Merit Awards
10:30 AM - 11:20 AM
Concurrent Sessions V
11:30 AM - 12:20 PM
Concurrent Sessions VI
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
MENASA Board Meeting - Open to Attendees
Speakers
Sponsors and Exhibitors
Interested in exhibiting and sponsorship? Find the application here (coming soon); the application deadline is February 1, 2023. To submit a completed application or if you have questions, please email Janelle Rahyns at jrahyns@naspa.org or call +1 202 921 4507.