2026 UPCoP Conference Agenda

July 28-30, 2026 - Lawrence, Kansas

UPCoP has confirmed the following sessions for this year’s agenda:

• Partner Success Stories

  • Hosted by the University of Kansas, featuring their partners from Pepsi and Central Bank

• CASE STUDY: Display Devices

• CASE STUDY: Herff Jones

• 3-2-1 Launch Your Partnerships Office!

  • Learn from industry professionals about their experience with launching a Partnerships Office. This panel will cover the keys to success, including socialization across campus, getting executive leadership buy-in, asset identification and valuation, policies that support the efforts and how to build the office in real time, while addressing partnership requests.

• Converting Student Success Model to Predictive Sponsorship: Using Existing University Data to Forecast Partnership Performance

  • This session explores how predictive analytics can reshape the way universities evaluate and enhance their sponsorship strategies. Drawing on methods originally used to model student success, we will show how similar techniques can forecast audience behavior, strengthen activation planning, and reveal the most promising partnership opportunities. We will also showcase clear, concise visualizations designed to tell the story in an elevator-pitch format, helping stakeholders quickly grasp insights and make data-driven decisions. Attendees will leave with practical approaches for leveraging existing university data to elevate the impact of their sponsorship efforts.

• New Money, New Models: How External Investment is Changing Higher Ed

  • NIL, private equity, and new forms of private capital are rapidly transforming how universities generate revenue. This panel of leaders from three institutions will discuss what these investment models mean for higher education and why they’re emerging now. Exploring how external investment is appearing on campuses today and how asset centralization may reshape licensing, sponsorships and broader revenue‑generation strategies. Attendees should walk away with a basic understanding of the current external investment issues facing today’s higher education revenue-generating staff.

• CASE STUDY: COLLEGIATE MOBILE - Bringing generations of fans together powered by wireless, fueled by passion

  • Learn about how Collegiate Mobile partners with universities to create win / win partnerships, serving specific priorities on each campus.  Whether it's unique and customized experiences for customers or give-back funds to scholarships and dedicated needs, Collegiate Mobile is connecting campus communities with pride.

• Naming Rights: Overview of the KU Gateway District and Revenue Opportunities

• CASE STUDY: TWO CIRCLES

• Stay tuned for more sessions to be posted soon!

The programming is currently scheduled to run as follows (all times Central), but is subject to change. Sessions and speakers will be updated soon.

Tuesday, July 28

• 2:00pm - Conference Check-In Opens

• 2:30pm - 5:30pm - PRE-Conference, 101 and sponsored programming

• 5:30pm - 7:30pm - Welcome Reception

Wednesday, July 29

• 8:00pm - Conference Check-In Opens

• 8:30pm - 5:30pm - Conference Programming

• 6:00pm - 8:30pm - Networking Dinner

Thursday, July 30

• 8:00pm - Conference Check-In Opens

• 8:30pm - 5:00pm - Conference Programming