Focus on What Matters: People, Play, and Purpose
Make connections
NIRSA and IDEA® World’s 2026 Conference & Expo is designed to bring together campus recreation professionals and professionals from the broader fitness and wellness industry to build connections, share and advance ideas, and discover best practices and innovative approaches to programs, services, and management.
Learn and laugh
The learning and skill development that is the focal point of sessions and workshops will be nicely balanced by the open and fun atmosphere found during the iconic networking socials that have become synonymous with past NIRSA Conferences and IDEA® World events.
Discover solutions
With thousands of professionals and more than 150 exhibiting companies, it’s a can’t-miss event for professionals who share a commitment to inspiring healthy people and healthy communities.
Find solutions
Meet the companies that are transforming and enhancing the way campus recreation departments approach facility design, holistic wellbeing programs, campus engagement, and fitness solutions at the 2026 NIRSA + IDEA® World Expo.
This Is Your Year to Invest in Your Career
Discover innovative ideas you can take back to your institution when you spend four days in the convenient Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland this April at inspiring educational sessions, insightful roundtables, and informative exhibits.
Inspiring mainstage speakers
Take inspiration from speakers who are sure to ignite ideas around leadership, wellbeing, and how movement can transform lives.
Unified conference program
The single event app will make navigating between event programming seamless for attendees and exhibitors.
Industry awards
NIRSA’s Awards Reception and IDEA’s Celebration of Distinction will provide a stage to celebrate star contributors.
Earn CE Credits
Learning and networking opportunities will be offered in a variety of formats: from preconference workshops, where attendees can take a deep dive into a subject, to educational sessions, poster presentations, roundtable discussions, fitness workshops, and micro-sessions that will showcase big ideas in short bursts of time.
Sessions will cover considerable ground across the campus recreation, fitness, and wellbeing industries. Earn continuing education credits for CSAEd certifications, plus expanded CEC opportunities for certifications from several agencies, including the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and more.
I am a(n)…
Choose your own pathway to make the most of your conference experience! Whether you’re an attendee, presenter, student, director, exhibitor, or volunteer, self-selecting helps you explore sessions and connections tailored to your interests, goals, and next steps in campus recreation.
