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Interested in speaking at GitHub Universe? Here’s everything you need to know before submitting a session proposal. 

 

Key dates to keep in mind

  • May 9: Call for sessions (CFS) opens
  • June 13: CFS closes (extension from original date of June 7th!)
  • Late August: Speakers are notified of their submission status
  • November 8-9: Universe 2023

 

This year's themes

AI
From chatbots to coding assistants and so much more, AI has transformed how we work. It frees us from the toil of boilerplate and allows us to be our most productive, creative, and happy selves. Developers are coding faster than ever before, closing skill gaps more efficiently, and finding their work more satisfying. The next frontier in the development of AI is happening now and we want to hear from experts and practical leaders on the impacts of AI on developers and organizations, issues of trust, and where they see AI headed next.

 

Security
Security is integral to every stage of the software development cycle. This means protecting your software supply chain from dependency-based vulnerabilities, using AI-powered and proactive security features to prevent and fix vulnerabilities in your own code, and understanding the latest compliance standards, threats, and research. If this is your area of expertise, we invite you to share your knowledge with our attendees.

 

Developer experience
What does developer experience mean to you? Less friction, more productivity? Finding more time for creativity, collaboration, and innovation? How do you stay in the flow? How do you leverage GitHub’s platform and features? We are looking for industry experts and impactful practitioners who are driving collaboration, simplifying tech stacks, reducing onboarding times, and prioritizing developer-first security for the betterment of their teams, their customers, their careers, and their communities.

 

Session types

  • General Session (40 mins): These sessions feature presentations and live demos, as well as audience engagement through questions, group discussions, polls, and games.
  • Panel Discussion (40 mins): A moderated session with experts sharing best practices, lessons learned, and other insights. A significant portion of the session is dedicated to Q&A and audience engagement.
  • Fireside Chat (40 mins): Similar to a panel discussion, however, this is a conversation between a moderator and one speaker rather than a group of experts.
  • Product Demo (25 mins): A presentation focused on tips, tricks, and best practices for working in a specific product.

 

Why you should speak at Universe

Speakers at Universe are part of a collaborative and passionate community who gain career-enhancing connections with attendees and speakers alike. Here's what you can expect:

  • Receive a complimentary pass to both days of GitHub Universe
  • Share your thought leadership with GitHub’s community of 100 million developers
  • Gain access to a professional speaker coach 
  • Keep a record of your session to share once it’s live on Youtube
  • Receive a speaker honorarium of up to $750 depending on your involvement with the session
  • Travel with ease knowing your flights (excluding business or first class) and hotel are covered 

 

Tips for writing your CFS proposal

  • Think about your session title as the subject line of an email—keep it short and persuasive. What would get an attendee to add it to their schedule?
  • Be specific with your key takeaways. What exactly will someone leave your session knowing that they didn’t know before?
  • Have a friend outside of your industry review your content before you submit. They might not understand the technical language but a fresh perspective is always helpful.
  • Sessions are intended to be educational, not a sales pitch. Keep that in mind when writing your description.
  • When using an acronym, spell out the full word and then include the acronym after in parantheses. Ex: software development lifecycle (SDLC).
  • Reference these examples from Universe 2022 of session titles and abstracts for inspiration. 

 

Resources

  • Offline form: We recommend you first fill in this offline form (please copy a version for yourself to work in). Then, copy and paste your responses into the online submission form. This option is the best way to avoid losing valuable work and information. You must enter your session information via the online submission form (not the offline form) to formally apply to speak at Universe.
  • FAQ: Have a question about the call for sessions? Take a look at this list of frequently asked questions for information on deadlines, submission criteria, and other guidelines you should be aware of. 
  • Samples: reference these session titles and abstracts that performed well at last year’s Universe for inspiration
  • Additional questions? Please contact speakersupport@github.com