This fall, I will be running games for the first time at a con (Draconis, in Montreal), and one of the game I'm thinking of maybe running is Universalis.

Now, the only game of Universalis I have played lasted three sessions. I'll definitely try again for a one-shot with my regular group, before bringing it to the con, but I wondered if anyone had advice about how to keep the game under four hours long?

You'd do well to provide a basic overview of rules beforehand, so your players can show up somewhat prepared for the style of play. That will both shorten your "rules dump" at the beginning and cull players who just won't engage in this style of game.

I'd say to be generous with Coins, too--the more Coins early on, the more Tenets (to get a tight focus early on) and the easier to get rolling with fully formed characters and objects. Be sure folks understand the ways to refresh Coins via Challenges, or you could end up with beginners running dry and feeling frustrated.

Know the rules 110%--no referencing, no gotchas. If you're going to use Gimmicks, choose ones that simplify play over those that provide more options or flexibility.

Other than that, maybe run during the last slot of a given day, so you can gracefully deal with minor over-run. Nothing so lame as a game that ends JUST before its climax, because the next gaming slot is coming up fast and folks don't want to miss it.

HTH;
David