Events

We are excited to feature two dynamic keynote speakers at CIRPA 2025, who will share fresh perspectives, practical insights, and forward-looking ideas that will spark meaningful conversations and energize you for the days ahead.

Beyond Waffle House: From Data Providers to Strategic Partners

Is your data team seen as order-takers—or as true partners driving strategy?

Join keynote speaker Phillip Wallace as he reveals how to:
-Break free from limiting “personas” that hold data teams back
-Build powerful, strategic data partnerships on campus
-Elevate data from transactional to transformational

About the Speaker
Phillip Wallace, Director of Development Analytics at Georgia Tech and founder of AltaData Strategy and Insights, brings 18+ years of higher education experience helping institutions turn numbers into action.

Data-Driven Cycling Network Planning in the GTA

Cycling is booming in Canadian cities—but where should new bike infrastructure go to make the biggest impact? In this session, Dr. Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher  will share how data-driven planning can:
-Prioritize investments for the greatest accessibility gains
-Reveal surprising results that challenge political and planning assumptions
-Balance efficiency with equity when expanding cycling networks

About the Speaker
Dr. Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto, studies how safe cycling networks shape access to destinations across Canadian cities. A biophysicist by training and co-founder of UofT Coders, she brings a unique lens to evidence-based transportation planning. Her work has informed City of Toronto planning and sparked policy discussions across Ontario.

✅ Don’t miss these keynote speakers—Register now to join us at the 2025 CIRPA Conference: https://shorturl.at/6nHVt

Registration for the CIRPA Fall Conference 2025 will be opening soon!

To help you prepare to register, we are highlighting some exciting changes to conference fees and registration options as we strive to make this year’s virtual conference open to even more of our members and our data-oriented community.

While the virtual format removes the barriers and extra expenses associated with travel, we’ve also reduced the conference registration fee to an early bird rate of $295 + taxes until September 12 (a savings of $100 for registering early). Note that paid regular CIRPA membership is required for this registration type. Beyond the cost savings, your early registration will also ensure that you receive your special edition virtual conference registration package in the mail prior to the start of the conference. This exciting addition to the virtual conference will include your usual collectible conference items, plus CIRPA swag, items from our sponsors, and ways to help you connect with other delegates.

NEW just for the virtual conference!

We’re introducing conference guest tickets! For the low cost of $175 each, you can add up to 2 additional people from your organization to your conference registration. These guests do not need to purchase a regular CIRPA membership, but will be asked to sign up for a free limited membership if they do not already have one. This is a great way to bring other data-focused professionals from across your institution to this conference! Consider inviting your colleagues from student services, registrar’s office, academic offices, and beyond, or your neighbour in your IRP office who might not normally attend our events. Guest ticket holders will be able to login to our online conference environment separately from the primary registrant to fully participate in all of the conference content – keynote speakers, concurrent sessions, networking events, discussions, and more. However, guest ticket holders will not receive the mailed registration package, be eligible for prizes, have access to recorded content after the archival of the conference event, or have any other rights and roles available to a regular CIRPA member (e.g. attending the AGM at the conference).

If you combine the early bird registration with two guest tickets, this means that 3 people from your organization can attend the virtual CIRPA Fall Conference for approximately the cost of one registration fee to our previous in-person conferences!

We hope you will join us at the “Cross-Canada IRP” virtual conference from October 21-23, 2025. We look forward to welcoming newcomers and reconnecting with colleagues from coast to coast to coast! Watch for registration details coming soon!

Sincerely,

Stephen Childs and Emily Clyde-Parry Yaroszko

2025 Conference Co-Chairs

This webinar examines how one Canadian university addressed mounting budget pressures by expanding access to affordable, high-demand graduate programs tailored to adult learners. Emphasis will be placed on doing more with less while taking action to accelerate enrolment growth, strengthen institutional brand, and support sustainable outcomes.

Drawing on a university case study, speakers will share actionable strategies, including:

• Leveraging marketplace research to identify unmet needs and diversify revenue
• Engaging faculty and stakeholders to build alignment and momentum
• Designing graduate offerings to meet the needs of today’s adult online learners
• Sustaining growth through continuous improvement in online program promotion

Speakers:

Dr. Robin Ritchie , Academic Director of the Online MBA, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University

Dr. Nicole Johnson , Executive Director, Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA) and Risepoint Consultant

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, we face unprecedented challenges that demand agile and effective change management strategies. Spend a few hours with CIRPA to benefit from the best in time-tested and proven ways to manage and thrive amidst change. Then unpack your crystal ball and look into the future with us and build your knowledge of the planned changes coming to some of Statistics Canada’s products. Regardless of whether you are an experienced leader or someone who is just beginning their work adventure we have something exciting in store for you!

Join us for CIRPA’s 2025 Spring Forum which is being held on May 29^th 1PM EDT to 4:00 PM EDT.

Note: An active paid membership in CIRPA is required for this event. Non-Members can purchase a membership which will run until June 2025. Information regarding membership can be found here: https://cirpa-acpri.ca/about/membership/

Session Title: Navigating Change

Session Description:

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, we face unprecedented challenges that demand agile and effective change management strategies. This session will equip attendees with time-tested approaches to manage disruption.

Join us for an insightful discussion with our esteemed panelists: Rashmi Gupta, Necia Martins, and Ashley Blackman who will share from their experiences and background in postsecondary education across multiple different roles spanning across several institutions.

Attendees will leave the session with practical strategies and actionable insights to navigate change effectively, ensuring their organizations remain resilient and adaptive in the face of disruption.

Session Title: An afternoon with StatsCan

Session Description:

Join us for a discussion covering three of the hottest topics in the postsecondary space:  Classification of Instructional Programming (CIP) codes, National Occupation Classification (NOC), and the Occupational Skills Information System (OaSIS). Come and hear from the experts at Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada about the updating process, ongoing consultations and how to leverage these systems in your work.