Next week several UBC IT colleagues will be headed to Ontario for the three day the CANHEIT (Canadian Higher Education Information Technology) Conference. Overseen by the Canadian University Council of Chief Information Officers (CUCCIO) and co-hosted this year by Wilfried Laurier University and the University of Waterloo, CANHEIT brings together IT professionals in the Canadian post-secondary education sector to share best practices, explore innovations, and collaborate on campus technology.
CANHEIT by the Numbers
Getting Ready: A Chat with UBC Staff
Looking ahead, we spoke with a few UBC staff presenting at the conference about the upcoming event.
Jing Cui
Senior Manager, Constituent Engagement Platforms
Chris Spencer
Team Lead, Creative Media Production
Saeed Dyanatkar
Senior Manager, Digital Experience & Creative Media
What are you looking forward to at CANHEIT 2026?
Chris and Saeed: We’re looking forward to sharing how UBC Studios has been using AI Tools with universities across Canada and hearing how other institutions are approaching AI in practical, grounded ways. Based on our experience, a lot of the most meaningful innovation isn’t flashy, it’s the small workflow improvements, creative experiments, and thoughtful conversations that gradually change how we work and tell stories.
Jing: CANHEIT is one of the few spaces where Canadian higher education IT leaders can be genuinely candid about what's working and what isn't. I'm looking forward to connecting with peers who are navigating the same questions we are: how to lead AI initiatives responsibly, how to bring stakeholders along through uncertainty, and how to build institutional confidence when the outcomes aren't binary.
What do you hope people will take away from your presentation?
Chris and Saeed: We hope people leave realizing that AI doesn’t have to replace creativity to be valuable. At UBC Studios, we’re using AI to remove friction, save time, and facilitate storytelling. We think, we in higher education are keeping pace with some of the best creative industries in how thoughtfully we’re approaching it.
Jing: I hope attendees leave with a more honest mental model of what AI project leadership actually requires. Most of us are applying a traditional IT mindset (requirements, testing, deploy, done), to technology that is fundamentally probabilistic and iterative. The core shift I'm offering is moving from "is it working?" to "how confident are we, in what, and how do we know?" If someone takes back even one of the frameworks (Confidence Managing, or the Pilot-and-Pivot principles) and uses it to lead their next AI initiative with clearer expectations and less early-stage burnout, I'll consider that a success.
Learn more about their presentations:
Storytelling in the Age of Algorithms: Navigating the Future of Media Production at UBC
Presented by: Chris Spencer, Saeed Dyanatkar
AI is rapidly reshaping creative work in higher education, raising important questions about trust, transparency, and responsible use. In this session, UBC Studios shares how it is thoughtfully integrating AI into media production to enhance creativity, improve workflows, and support accessibility. Grounded in a human-centred approach, this presentation demonstrates how innovation can align with institutional values and public trust.
Beyond the Dashboard: Leading Through the Uncertainty of an AI Admissions Pilot
Presented by Jing Cui
AI is transforming how organizations lead and manage technology, moving beyond simple feature delivery to continuous learning and refinement. In this session, UBC’s Salesforce Agentforce pilot -handling 70,000 admissions inquiries - reveals how success depends on strong data grounding, thoughtful use-case design, and human oversight. Explore why leaders must shift to “confidence managing,” balancing AI efficiency with trust, accuracy, and institutional voice. Taking an honest look at data from the version one pilot and sharing a direct account of what is being built differently for version two, this session is not just a success story, but a transparent account of where the pilot hit its limits and lessons learned.
We wish safe travels to all UBC staff attending and look forward to the insights gained.
Learn more about CANHEIT 2026 Conference
View the schedule and complete list of speakers
