The Future of Open Source in Higher Education: What the Data Tells Us
Date: August 12, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM America/New_York
Presented By:
Justin Menard is the Founder and CEO of ListEdTech, a market intelligence company that tracks technology implementations across higher education and K-12 institutions worldwide. Since founding the company in 2014, he has helped institutions, technology providers, consultants, and researchers better understand the evolving education technology landscape through independent market data and analysis. Justin regularly presents at industry conferences on technology adoption trends, procurement, and strategic planning.
Session Description
Open source has long been a cornerstone of higher education technology, powering learning management systems, repositories, research infrastructure, identity management, and countless other campus systems. Yet the environment in which these projects operate is changing rapidly.
Drawing on longitudinal data from thousands of higher education institutions worldwide, this session explores how the role of open source is evolving. We’ll examine adoption trends across major technology categories, discuss where open source continues to thrive, and consider how AI, cloud platforms, interoperability, vendor consolidation, and changing institutional priorities are reshaping the landscape.
Rather than focusing on individual products, the session will explore the broader ecosystem and what today’s market signals suggest about the future of open source in higher education. The goal is to provide attendees with an objective, data-informed perspective that can help inform strategic planning, community investment, and technology decisions.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand how the adoption of open source software has evolved across higher education.
- Recognize the technology and market forces influencing the future of open source communities.
- Identify areas where open source continues to provide unique value for institutions.
- Use market data and long-term trends to support strategic planning and technology decision-making.
- Gain a broader perspective on how openness can continue to play a meaningful role in higher education’s next generation of digital transformation.
The link to access this event will be included in your registration confirmation email.
Please Note: The start time is 11:00am Eastern U.S. time
The Apereo Foundation is an independent, U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance open technologies and open practices in higher education. As a non-profit, open source foundation, Apereo does not sell software, products, or commercial services.
Registration is requested solely to manage webinar participation and provide attendees with event access and related logistics. Registrants may optionally subscribe to receive notifications of future Apereo MicroConferences; this subscription is entirely voluntary and may be discontinued at any time. The Apereo Foundation does not sell, rent, or share participant information with third parties for marketing or commercial purposes. We appreciate the opportunity to share educational resources that support the higher education community and strive to ensure our communications align with the collaborative, non-commercial principles of the EDUCAUSE Connect community.
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