The TechKnowFile 2026 conference theme is Building Tomorrow Together — reflecting a renewed sense of community augmented by new leadership, major technology initiatives in critical services, artificial intelligence, research and student systems. The conference will explore innovative tools and strategies that shape the future of higher education and research.

Conference streams

University of Toronto staff, faculty and librarians were invited to submit a presentation proposal aligned to the conference theme under one of the six streams:

What is required to navigate the evolving technology landscape in postsecondary education? How can we enhance service delivery and sustain operational excellence while staying abreast of cutting-edge innovations in IT? This stream examines new IT services, supports and resources at U of T, as well as best practices for assessing and implementing them with ethics, security, efficiency, standardization and performance in mind.

Collaboration is essential to advancing shared goals in a complex, decentralized institution. This stream provides a forum to explore how units work together and how university-wide partnerships support impactful outcomes. Presentations may examine the role of leadership, governance and relationship-building in enabling effective collaboration, as well as lessons learned from cross-unit initiatives, teams and IT projects across the university.

Students’ expectations of digital services, learning environments and support systems continue to evolve, and technology plays a critical role in shaping the student experience. This stream invites presentations that explore how the IT@UofT community supports students today and into the future, including the design and delivery of student-centred systems and services, the use of data and insights to improve outcomes and the ways technology can enhance connection, inclusion and wellbeing across the student community.

Digital trust is foundational to how U of T teaches, learns, researches and innovates. It reflects a commitment to protecting networks, systems and data in alignment with regulatory and policy requirements, while upholding the university’s digital integrity, transparency and human-centred innovation. This stream invites presentations on building and sustaining digital trust across the university, including privacy, cyber security, data governance and risk management, as well as the responsible adoption of emerging technologies.

Artificial intelligence continues to evolve at an extraordinary pace, with groundbreaking work emerging across U of T. With initiatives such as the AI Task Force, the AI Jam presentation series and the upcoming AI Kitchen, IT@UofT is actively shaping how AI is explored and applied. This stream is a forum to discuss new ideas, applications and use cases for AI, and an opportunity for thoughtful consideration of its potential risks, limitations and misuse. Presentations may explore how AI can support teaching, learning, research and operations while aligning with institutional values and responsible innovation.

Have a great idea for a presentation, but not sure how it fits into the existing streams? This stream invites presentations that sit outside the box!

Thank you to all those who submitted a proposal to present at TKF 2026. Applicants will be notified by March 20.

FAQs

Yes, all selected presenters must register for TKF 2026. Registration will open at a later date.

Yes, all breakout session presenters are required to present in-person.

Presentations should last no longer than 45 minutes, including engagement elements such Q&A sessions. Please review the program submission guidelines for more information.

New this year, presenters are invited to provide their own moderators to introduce the speakers, handle Q&A and keep time. You will be asked to identify your moderator upon acceptance, and we will provide training and instructions accordingly. However, we will provide moderator support to those who do not identify their own.