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LUJ's 12th Annual Conference of Global Higher Education a Success

Jul. 7, 2026

Time does indeed fly in the world of academia. It only seems like yesterday that LUJ held its annual conference on global higher education, its theme being "Opinions Turned Against Each Other." Scholars and educators from all over the world came to LUJ's campus building in Ryogoku on June 6, 2026. Some presented, others attended and took in as much as they could, jotting down notes and snapping quick photos of PPT's with their smartphone so they can refer to them later. 

We chatted with professor and conference director Roger Grabowski, the man who puts this all together... 

Now that it's over, what are some of the moments you'll remember about the 12th Annual CGHE?

I attended several strong presentations. My colleague David O'Connell talked about, of all things, MATH class and—knock me over with a feather-- it was not boring. Quite the opposite—he explained how he approaches abstract math topics in class and then how he explained those topics to a visually-impaired student last semester.

The entire panel entitled "Questions of Culture in Pedagogy" was fascinating. John Rucynski talked about teaching about humor and sarcasm in a Japanese college class, Derek DiMatteo talked about his experiences teaching a COIL course/his tribulations in attempting to do so, and Jeremy Chambers talked about teaching Creative Writing to L2 students.

All of the above presentations (and more) led me to reflect on my own teaching and how I can get out of some of my ruts and routines and think more creatively.

One thing that I love about the conference is the non-presentation time. During this year's lunch break, Muskie Hall was even more vibrant than usual, filled with guests and Lakeland folks swapping stories, catching up, making new connections, and just enjoying a free hour together. Every year I hear how nice it is that LUJ can create such a casual and friendly atmosphere for our guests.

You are only one man, and I know you probably wanted to see all of the presentations, but were there a few you missed out on that you wished you could have caught?

Speaking of getting out of ruts and routines, I wish I could have attended Adam Tompkins' session about using Role Play in Composition class.

Any advice for people looking to present at next year's conference?

Number one, don't hesitate to send in a submission—-if you are reporting on unfinished research or work in progress, that is fine. 

Number two, it is ok to be casual. Of course we should all aim for professionalism in our content, but there are rarely more than 20 people in the audience of any panel, so the most successful presentations are direct and conversational, rather than stiff and formal. 

Number three, tell your friends and colleagues. It doesn't matter if they present or not--for an entire day of presentations and discussions, we are the best conference bargain in town!

To contact Mr. Grabowski about next year's conference or ask questions, feel free to email him at grabowski@japan.lakeland.edu

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