Modality: P (in person): UCF Summer Faculty Development Institute
We are happy to announce the call for proposals for the 2026 UCF Summer Faculty Development Institute to be held in-person May 11 & 12 in Classroom Building One on the main campus. The Institute is only for two days this year due to the unusually short time between submitting Spring grades and the start of the Summer semester. The Institute will provide faculty members with opportunities to learn about UCF initiatives and to work on transforming specific courses and teaching practices to improve student learning and success. Funded participants must commit to attending the entire institute, but any UCF faculty member may choose to attend the sessions without funding. Please keep in mind that the application process may be very competitive. We encourage applicants to submit early and to make a specific case for participation. Timeline: All proposals for funded participation are due by Thursday, February 26, 2026. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by March 13, 2026. Following full participation and completion of track deliverables, each faculty member who is accepted will receive compensation. Apply to your preferred track below. As always, only full-time faculty are eligible to participate for funding. For more information and to submit applications for participation, please see https://fctl.ucf.edu/programs/summer-conference/.
FCTL Track: Teaching Critical Success Skills
Educators face a growing call to help students graduate proficient in skills like analytical thinking, creativity, complex problem-solving, leadership, ethical judgement, emotional intelligence, and communication, among others. The FCTL track will host sessions and activities focused on integrating critical success skills into courses and the curriculum and will include a focus on the challenges posed by AI, student readiness, and student well-being. Faculty participants will earn $400 after full participation in the institute and delivery of a brief report that outlines how ideas learned at the institute will be implemented. Please apply at https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dmbN9juawqHqXVY.
CIVIC Track (Civil Interactions and Viewpoints for Interpersonal Competence)
The Offices for Grant Initiatives & Partnerships and Civil Discourse & Engagement invite faculty to participate in the CIVIC Track of the Summer Faculty Development Institute. This track is part of UCF’s CIVIC Initiative (Civil Interactions and Viewpoints for Interpersonal Competence) funded by a U.S. Department of Education FIPSE grant and will guide faculty through integrating civil discourse practices into curriculum design and classroom facilitation. Participants will explore strategies for creating learning environments where students can engage constructively across ideological, cultural, and experiential differences. Up to 50 selected faculty will earn $400 after full participation in the FCTL 2-day institute and submission of a reflection assignment based on civil discourse integration and pedagogical innovation. Reflection assignments must be completed and emailed to civicgrant@ucf.edu by May 13th at 11:59PM. Faculty will be selected based on a demonstrated commitment to fostering constructive, respectful dialogue across different perspectives. For more information, please visit: https://access.ucf.edu/grant-initiatives/civic/ucf-summer-faculty-development-institute-civic-track/. Email questions to civicgrant@ucf.edu. Please apply at https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2nr5LPscduOC94a
Classroom to Careers Track
How do we effectively leverage curriculum to help prepare students for what’s next? Faculty from all disciplines are invited to apply for the Classroom to Careers Track at the FCTL Summer Institute to help your department expand and strengthen course curriculum career readiness and prepare a 1000-4000 level departmental course for the new Career Foundations course-level designation. Leveraging faculty expertise across disciplines, this track focuses on connecting departmental coursework to foundational career competencies to equip students with the skills and experience needed for a rapidly changing workforce. Participants will explore career readiness resources, collaborate with peers, and work independently (or as part of a department group) to develop career-focused activities and assignments that support updating a course for the new Career Foundations designation. Faculty will also meet one-on-one with course designation leads and participate in workshops, networking opportunities, and institute-wide events. By the institute’s conclusion, when appropriate, participants may elect to complete a draft submission for the Career Foundations Course Designation. Final submissions must be submitted online by May 12, 2026. All participants who attend the institute and required track sessions in full will receive $400 at the end of the institute. If cohort participants successfully submit their course as a complete application online, they will receive an additional $200 ($600 total). Multiple participants from the same department may apply together to review and submit a course from their department as a team. Up to 24 opportunities are available. Please note, the Career Foundations course designation is recognized at the course-level, not instructor-level. Therefore, departmental chair approval of your application to the Classroom-to-Careers track is encouraged but not required. If the course is submitted and approved by the Faculty Review Committee during the review process, department chair and college dean approvals will be requested. For questions, contact careereducation@ucf.edu. Please apply at https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2afvQQ33ImhK7JQ
Florida Prison Education Project (FPEP) Track
Are you interested in teaching in prison? Would you like to learn more about mass incarceration in Florida and how our state colleges and universities are addressing it? The Florida Prison Education Project (https://cah.ucf.edu/fpep/) is sponsoring 25 faculty to participate in the FCTL Summer Institute. In this track, you will learn best practices for higher education in prison and develop a syllabus for a prison-based course. Selected faculty will receive $400 for their participation in the Institute (including attending all required FPEP workshops and training sessions) and the development of a course syllabus suitable for implementation at a Florida facility. Please apply at https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3h0QLzAC3On3l1I
GEP Track: Fostering Interdisciplinary Collaboration in the GEP Pathways
Join this General Education Program (GEP) Summer Institute track designed for faculty interested in interdisciplinary teaching, collaborative course design, and innovative approaches to GEP learning outcomes. This track brings together faculty from STEM, the social sciences, and the humanities to explore how complex, real-world problems can be addressed through interdisciplinary perspectives aligned with one of UCF’s GEP Pathways: Ethics and Technology, Communication and Community, or Global Sustainability. We will bring together faculty from STEM, the social sciences, and the humanities to develop shared frameworks for examining problems that benefit from interdisciplinary investigation, fostering a sense of community and mutual respect among participants. Faculty teams will create an interdisciplinary assignment that draws on these perspectives using AI to support ideation, production, and distribution.
GEP Track Options Faculty may choose between two participation pathways:
Two-Day Open Track (No Deliverable): Ideal for faculty who want to explore interdisciplinary teaching strategies, connect with colleagues across disciplines, and gather ideas for future course development. No required submission, $400 grant.
Three-Day Closed Track (With Deliverable): Designed for faculty ready to produce a tangible outcome. Participants will work in multidisciplinary teams to develop an interdisciplinary assignment aligned with a GEP Pathway and GEP learning outcomes. The assignment may be used in a single course or across linked courses and may optionally serve as a GEP assessment with departmental support. A brief deliverable will be submitted individually the day after the Institute concludes. Participants in this option will attend a short pre-Institute information session and will be part of a closed cohort to support focused collaboration and receive a $600 grant. The pre-Institute session is called “Collab Lab: Designing Multidisciplinary Assignments” and will be held on Wednesday, February 18, at 3:00 p.m. Please register for the pre-Institute session here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/0bc394e5-5322-462f-a2f4-3fb6268a3e15@bb932f15-ef38-42ba-91fc-f3c59d5dd1f1. Participants interested in the 3-day track should register for both events, the Summer Institute (link below) and the info session.
What You Will Gain: Experience collaborating across disciplines to address shared instructional challenges, practical strategies for designing interdisciplinary, high-impact assignments, enhanced understanding of GEP Pathways and assessment alignment, and a completed or near-complete interdisciplinary assignment (three-day option). This track supports UCF’s strategic priorities by fostering innovative teaching, strengthening faculty communities, and enhancing student learning through interdisciplinary engagement.
Who Should Apply:
Faculty teaching in GEP courses across all colleges, including GEP coordinators and faculty interested in interdisciplinary course design and collaboration. Please apply at https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4JH6pZmrCUIs9n0
HIP Course Designations Track
Apply for the High-Impact Practice (HIP) Course Designation track at the UCF Summer Faculty Development Institute for the opportunity to spend focused, individualized time adapting a course to submit for one of UCF’s four HIP designations: Service-Learning (SL), Integrative-Learning Experience (IE), Research Intensive (RI – undergraduate courses only), or Global Learning (GL). High-Impact Practices (HIPs) are educational strategies recognized by the AAC&U that give students opportunities to excel in and out of the classroom. The UCF HIP Course Designations expand access to HIP opportunities; help faculty document their innovative courses; and allow students to identify course-based service, global, and research opportunities quickly during registration. Participants in the HIP Course Designation Track will learn about the HIP submission process, meet one-on-one with course designation leads, collaborate with peers, and work independently during conference hours to create or refine course plans and assignments to meet the criteria of their selected course designation. Teams of two are encouraged for faculty working on course-level designations. Additionally, faculty will attend institute-wide events, including informational sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities with colleagues. Final course submissions must be entered in Kuali by May 13 at midnight, 2026. All participants will receive $400 at the end of the institute. If cohort participants successfully submit their course as a complete application in Kuali, they will receive an additional $200 ($600 total). We plan to have 28 opportunities. Preference will be given to (1) departments that are not at 100% High-Impact Practices for all graduating students and (2) teams seeking to re-design courses for their department (i.e., Course-Level Designations). Address any questions to HIP@ucf.edu. Please apply at https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5i69WDCqh4wCNpQ
Learning Assistants Track
Learning Assistants (LAs) are undergraduate students who support student learning in various interactive classroom environments. The main goal of the LA track is to facilitate collaboration and networking among faculty to enhance the impact of LAs on student success. Whether you are a program coordinator, a faculty member with extensive experience working with LAs, or just interested in incorporating LAs into your course, we welcome your proposal! Participants in the LA track will learn about the LA model and how it is adapted in LA programs across campus; explore strategies to expand and improve the impact of LAs in their courses; and identify ways to assess the impact of LAs in their courses or programs. Participants who fully participate in the institute will earn $400. For more information, please contact Chemistry LA Coordinator Julie Donnelly. Please apply at https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cYkt83KYCM7OnMW
Agendas from previous years of the Summer Institute can be requested by emailing fctl@ucf.edu.