Urbana (conference)

Urbana is a major Christian student missions conference sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. The event is designed to inform Christian students about global issues and issues around the world and missional living. The conference also encourages students to explore the biblical mandate for cross-cultural missions and encourages them to participate in missions.

Each Urbana lasts for 4-5 days at the end of December and on New Year's Eve. In addition to the main speakers and sessions, participants are offered a choice of seminars, relating to specific topics within the general theme of the university and international missions. Group Bible study is an intentional part of the daily conference schedule. Worship is also a major highlight of the convention; special attention is paid to incorporating diverse worship styles, even including songs in foreign languages. Opportunities for coaching and receiving prayer are also a part of Urbana.

The first/precursor “Urbana” Student Missions Convention was held in 1946 in Toronto, and since then, it has generally been held every three years. From 1948 to 2003, Urbana took place at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, with the primary venue after 1963 being the Assembly Hall (now State Farm Center), the school's basketball arena.