Co-authors: Vladimir Roudakov, Lisa McCray

The industry summits at DrupalCon are a great way to get the most out of your conference experience if you’re a government or higher education professional. Summits are full day sessions scheduled when there are no general conference sessions happening, so you won’t miss anything from the main event. 

What are the registration details?

Although the Summits are part of the DrupalCon program, they are separate events and require a separate registration. There is also an additional cost associated with Summit registration. It’s an additional $250, and you can add a summit package to regular registration all through one convenient platform. 

Register now

Higher Education Summit 

Whether you are a web developer, administrator, or educator, you will gain valuable insights into how other institutions have used Drupal to improve their websites, streamline processes, and enhance the student experience. The Higher Ed Summit is the perfect meeting ground for folks doing Drupal in a higher education context. Pittsburgh is a huge Drupal higher education city, with both Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh using Drupal! 

When is it?

Thursday, 8 June, 2023 from 9:00-16:00 EST

Who should attend?

The DrupalCon Higher Education Summit is a must-attend summit for anyone working in the higher education sector. This summit provides a unique opportunity to network and collaborate with experts and professionals in the field. Attendees will have the chance to learn about the latest trends and best practices in higher education technology and hear from leading experts in the field.

Attending the DrupalCon Higher Education Summit is a great investment in your professional development. The summit provides a wealth of knowledge and resources that you can use to improve your skills and stay ahead of the curve in higher education technology. With a focus on cutting-edge technology, best practices, and real-world examples, the DrupalCon Higher Education Summit is a must-attend event for anyone looking to stay ahead in the fast-paced world of higher education technology.

What will I get by attending?

One of the key benefits of attending the DrupalCon Higher Education Summit is the opportunity to learn from real-world case studies and practical applications. You will also have the chance to engage with peers and share your own experiences and challenges. 

About those schools…

Carnegie Mellon and Pitt are 14 and 10 minutes, respectively, away from the David L. Lawrence Convention center! Take a stroll through these historic campuses, where there’s a rich history of computer science and academic achievement. Both campuses have beautiful cathedrals with incredible architecture that make for the perfect peaceful afternoon. 

Fountain outside of the Cathedral of Learning, Pitt

Image source: By Christopher Lancaster from Oshawa, Canada - 20080621_2744 Uploaded by crazypaco, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6625882 

Government Summit 

Are you a federal, state, or local government employee, or a private sector employee supporting the government?  

  • Would you like to meet up with Drupalers from all different skill levels in a variety of roles and talk about common issues you face while supporting government work?
  • Do you dream of seeing one of the actual bikes used in the filming of PeeWee’s Big Adventure? 

Will attending the DrupalCon Government Summit makes you feel this excited? Probably!  

Image source: Wikimedia, Fair Use

Then I’ve got great news for you! We can help with two out of three of those! Yinz should make plans to attend the DrupalCon Pittsburgh Government Summit. We have a full day planned of government-y goodness that you won’t want to miss. 

When is it?

Thursday, 8 June, 2023 from 9:00-16:00 EST

Who should attend?

The Government Summit is intended for anyone who uses Drupal in the context of government, whether it be at a local, state or federal level. All skill levels and roles are welcome. You’ll meet site builders, developers, themers, project managers, support specialists, and more.

What will I get by attending?

This year we are returning to the full day format, and will be featuring a panel, case studies, presentations, and plenty of talk and discussion on topics such as approaches to content author training, the impact of accessibility work, how to design *with* Drupal’s strengths to support agency needs, and much much more! Specifics on presentations and topics are being ironed out now, so stay tuned for more detail.

In addition, similar to past years, part of our schedule will be dedicated to “unconference” table-talk time with interactive discussions on topics chosen by you, the attendees. We like to think of them as mini-BoFs. Tables can form to continue the discussions from earlier in the day or your own unique topics. Opportunities to suggest topics will be available throughout the morning.

But I really want to see that bike….

While the Government Summit will sadly have a distinct lack of movie prop bicycles, you are in luck! It turns out that one of the 4 bikes used in the filming of the movie is on display just across the river at Bicycle Heaven, which, according to Wikipedia, is the largest transportation museum in the world dedicated to bicycles. It’s also free to visit, so if you want to see that bike or any of its approximately 3500 friends, roll on over and check it out!