Surrey’s Western Community College hosts B.C. education conference
Published 5:57 pm Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Leaders from British Columbia’s independent degree-granting institutions are gathering in Surrey for the 2026 IDGI BC Conference – with their eyes on AI, experiential learning and workforce readiness.
The two-day event, focused on the future of post-secondary education in a rapidly evolving global landscape, is being hosted at Western Community College on Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1.
The conference brings together academic leaders, researchers, and institutional decision-makers to explore how education is adapting to shifts in artificial intelligence, experiential learning, and workforce alignment, a press release notes.
The conference represents “a coordinated effort by institutions across the province to engage in shared dialogue and knowledge exchange — a move toward stronger sector alignment at a time when education systems are under pressure to evolve,” the release says.
Participants include faculty and leadership from institutions such as Yorkville University, University Canada West, LaSalle College Vancouver, New York Institute of Technology, Acsenda School of Management, and others.
Under the theme “Beyond Content: Empowering Achievement through Experiential Practice for a Changing World,” the conference emphasizes applied learning models that move beyond traditional classroom delivery.
Sessions throughout the two days will explore:
● work-integrated learning and curriculum innovation
● career readiness and student outcomes
● reflective learning, assessment models, and real-world application.
A significant portion of the conference is dedicated to understanding the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education, including ethical use of AI in academic work, AI literacy and AI integration in teaching and assessment.
The conference also incorporates Indigenous perspectives through dedicated programming, including an Indigenous cooking workshop and a keynote session by Musqueam artist Debra Sparrow.
These sessions emphasize cultural awareness, place-based learning, and the role of Indigenous knowledge in shaping inclusive education systems.
The conference features keynote sessions from Dr. Delbar Niroushak, leadership and business development coach, and Morten Rand-Hendriksen, principal instructor at LinkedIn.
More information and registration is available at this IDGI Conference 2026 link on Eventbrite.
The Independent Degree-Granting Institutions of British Columbia (IDGI-BC) is a collaborative forum representing independent post-secondary institutions across the province.