2026 SOLAR: Summit for Online Leadership and Administration

The 2026 SOLAR: Summit for Online Leadership and Administration is being held at the Westin Boston Seaport District in Boston, MA.

425 Summer Street
Boston, MA  02210
(617) 532-4600

	Early Registration Fee (by April 22)	Registration Fee (by July 1)	Late Registration Fee (after July 1)	On Site Registration Fee
UPCEA Member	$945	$1045	$1145	$1245
Institutional Non-member	$1345	$1445	$1545	$1645
Corporate Non-member	$2200	$2200	$2200	$2200

To register other UPCEA members from the same institution, log in and click on "Manage Group Registration" below. (Group discounts not available.)

Registration & Fees          
To attend the 2026 SOLAR and take advantage of the Early Registration Fee, you must fill out the online registration form and pay the registration fee by April 22, 2026. The Regular Registration Fee will apply beginning April 23, 2026 and ending July 1, 2026. To attend the 2026 SOLAR and take advantage of the Regular Registration Fee, you must fill out the online registration form and pay the registration fee by July 1, 2026. The Late Registration Fee will apply beginning July 2, 2026. Payment for the full amount of the Late Registration Fee must be made by July 28, 2026.  The On-Site Registration Fee will apply as of the first day of the conference (July 29, 2026).

UPCEA reserves the right to cancel registrations that go unpaid prior to the conference, and charge the corresponding cancellation fee.  Access to the conference will not be granted until full payment is received. 

Need an invoice in order to pay by check?  Please fill out this form for assistance.  (Available until July 1, 2026 for UPCEA Members Only)

Event Description

The Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR) conference is the sector-leading event focused on postsecondary online learning leadership and strategy. Convening in Boston, MA in 2026, the event elevates and explores digital learning, innovation, and strategic leadership in higher education, making it a must-attend event for Chief Online Learning Officers (COLOs) and their teams. 

Digital leadership is integral to the access mission, commitment to excellence, and sustainability of today's institutions. SOLAR’s program focuses on the best practices, thought leadership, and strategy that institutional leaders need to embrace digital transformation in postsecondary education. The event, located at the Westin Seaport District, provides a convenient location for a highly-curated conference that lends itself to meaningful networking, fellowship, and idea sharing.

Join key campus leaders – presidents, provosts, deans, instructional designers, faculty, and others focused on digital leadership – July 29-31, 2026*.

*COLOs from UPCEA member institutions can expect to be invited to an in-person convening of the Council for Chief Online Learning Officers, on the morning of July 29, 2026.

Refunds All registration cancellation and refund requests must be made in writing.  Full refunds will be granted for cancellations received by April 22, 2026.  A refund of the conference fee, minus a $250 cancellation fee, will be given for cancellations received between April 23 – July 1, 2026.  No refunds or credits will be granted for cancellations after July 1, 2026. Please submit all requests to info@upcea.edu. Anyone who is registered but cannot attend may send a substitute from the same organization. Refunds will not be given for no-shows. Please note that all cancellation fees apply even if initial invoice has yet to be paid.

Conference Photo Policy Registrants of the 2026 SOLAR agree to allow UPCEA and its official photographer to photograph them in the context of the conference. Footage captured by the official photographer may be used in future print and electronic promotional and archival materials. For questions or concerns, please call 202.659.3130 or email info@upcea.edu.

Affiliated Events Policy The association has gone to great lengths and expense to negotiate and contract for a reduced room rate at conference hotels. That rate is based upon the projected attendance at the meeting. If corporate member and nonmember attendees elect to stay at other hotels, it subjects the association to attrition penalties that can cause significant financial loss to the association. We count on our corporate community to support the association, and one of the ways to do that is to honor our efforts to secure a sufficiently large room block at a reduced rate at a first class hotel/conference venue.   

For these reasons, corporate member and nonmember attendees are prohibited from holding any meetings (briefings, seminars, etc.) within a 25-mile radius, targeting professional, continuing, and online leaders in higher education during the scheduled hours of UPCEA events unless otherwise negotiated and scheduled with and by UPCEA. Any such meeting occurring within 36 hours before or after the UPCEA conference must be coordinated with UPCEA and, space permitting, be held at the conference hotel.  This policy helps ensure that the association’s contracted obligations to the hotel for guest rooms and food and beverage minimums are met, which is essential for the financial health of the association and its members. If UPCEA cannot find space for the corporate member or nonmember attendee’s event at the contracted hotel, we will work to help find alternative space.  In no circumstances, however, is it permissible for a corporate member or nonmember attendee to contract a separate hotel block, either at the conference hotel or elsewhere. 

UPCEA reserves the right to prohibit corporate member and nonmember attendees who violate this policy from exhibiting or participating at UPCEA events.

If you encounter any errors or need assistance with your registration, please contact us at 202-659-3130 or info@upcea.edu.

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