EDUCAUSE Commons will be divided into three sections — Enterprise Strategy, Infrastructure and Support; Cybersecurity, Privacy and Risk Management; and Teaching and Learning — each with its own booth, lounge, poster area, presentations and other activities.
In addition to the in-person event, EDUCAUSE will again be presented in a virtual format, Nov. 12-13. The online conference will feature sessions from the in-person event as well as exclusive online-only content. In-person conference registrants will automatically have access to the online conference. Those interested can also choose to attend the virtual event only.
General Sessions to Cover AI, Institutional Resilience and Trends
Kicking off the conference Tuesday, Oct. 28, Joy Buolamwini, artist, author and founder of Algorithmic Justice League, will deliver a keynote on the harms and biases associated with artificial intelligence, addressing how to use the technology in a way that aligns with institutional values.
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, a panel of experts from EDUCAUSE and across higher education will present the organization's annual 2026 EDUCAUSE Top 10. The panel will reveal the list as voted on by the EDUCAUSE community. This year’s list promises to highlight the connections made within and across institutions to carry higher education into the future.
MORE TO SEE: Check out our coverage of last year’s conference before heading to Nashville.
On Thursday, Oct. 30, Freeman Hrabowski, president emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will present, “Resilient Campuses in Turbulent Times,” a closing general session on how higher education professionals can use technology to remain focused and adaptable in times of turmoil.
Don’t Miss These EDUCAUSE 2025 Presentations and Panels
The conference agenda includes hundreds of timely and thought-provoking sessions covering the latest in higher education technology. Here are a few we think you shouldn't miss:
- AI is once again a hot topic at EDUCAUSE, with many sessions focused on how the technology can help institutions operate more efficiently. Just a few on our radar: “ChatGPT: How Do We Use AI at a Small College?”; “Ctrl+Alt+Innovate: Transforming the Curriculum with AI”; and “Modernizing University Administration: Embrace Agentic AI for Efficiency and Innovation.”
- IT professionals are always looking for ways to optimize operations. In “Navigating Complexity: Achieving Faster, Better, Cheaper IT and Service Management,” CDW Education Field Sales Manager Matt Varin and a panel of higher ed experts will discuss how to optimize business practices and reduce operational costs.
- Cybersecurity is part of campus culture, and schools from three countries will share how they embed cybersecurity awareness throughout their institutions in “Beyond Borders: Transforming Student Cybersecurity from Obligation to Campus Culture.”
- Incident response is a vital component of cyber resilience, and a Tuesday afternoon Lunch and Learn, “Defending the Digital Campus: Mastering Incident Response in Higher Education,” will highlight the importance of collaboration and planning to reduce the impact of cyber incidents. Registration is required.
- Some sessions take a look into the future as technologies and student expectations evolve at a rapid pace. Two of those — “A New Student Experience: Digital Strategies for Uncertain Times” and “Higher Ed 2035: Redesigning Work, Learning and Teaching for What’s Next” — will discuss how tomorrow’s technology can serve students now and in the future.
Be sure to bookmark this page to keep up with all of our EDUCAUSE 2025 coverage, and follow us @EdTech_HigherEd on the social platform X for insights during the conference.
