Call For Proposals

Open Education Global, MIT Open Learning, and the Massachusetts Open & Low-Cost Educational Resources Advisory Council (OLERAC) invite proposals for the Open Education Global (OEGlobal) 2026 Conference! 

The hybrid conference will take place at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, and online on Oct 7-9, 2026.

The theme of the OEGlobal 2026 Conference spotlights the need for open education practitioners, advocates, and policymakers to be on the frontlines of protecting access to knowledge for the benefit of all. Upholding knowledge as a public good is central to the missions of all three hosts: OEGlobal supports, connects, and affirms communities of open education practitioners by fostering collaborations regionally and globally; the Massachusetts OLER Advisory Council supports public higher education institutions by making learning resources and practices accessible; and MIT Open Learning transforms teaching and learning at MIT and around the globe through the innovative use of digital technologies, and with a focus on unlocking knowledge through free and open educational materials like MIT OpenCourseWare. 

Our focus on inventing together to uphold knowledge as a public good encapsulates a vision for a collaborative approach to opening up education. We aim to foster new connections, encourage contributions from different voices and sectors, and promote the shared responsibility to safeguard knowledge for the benefit of all. To cultivate a spirit of innovation, we welcome proposals for sessions and participants from every educational sector, such as K-12 (primary/secondary) schools; colleges and universities; and galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs). 

We recognize that creativity is most powerfully sparked when different perspectives intersect. Therefore, we encourage proposals that integrate the arts and sciences; Indigenous and Western knowledge systems; global and local viewpoints; research-based and lived experiences; and other open movements (open source software, open data, open access, open science) and open education. 

We invite you to propose sessions in the following tracks (note that you will need to select one overarching track for your proposal on the submission form). We welcome research and practice-based proposals as well as proposals that aim to incubate new ideas and foster collaborations.

1. Hacking the Open Ecosystem and Praxis for the Public Good 
   How might we reimagine open practices, policies, pedagogy, licensing, and intersections of open science, publishing, data, etc., to quickly and practically solve real-world problems for the benefit of individuals, institutions, and our local and global communities?
   
2. Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge
   What strategies might be useful for creating new types of open content that will meet the needs of learners in specific contexts, circumstances, or climates? And how might the open education community at large function to further support or advance new types of content, knowledge, and networks for the purpose of democratizing education?
   
3. Catalyzing Human Connection, Creativity, and Curiosity to Thrive
   How do we function in collaborative, iterative, or emergent ways to help individuals or groups of open practitioners cultivate resilience and collective thriving through connection, community building, and creativity? What role might curiosity play in creating new ways to support one another in our open initiatives?
   
4. (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together 
   In what new, inventive ways is the open education community addressing the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals? What prototypes has the community imagined for fulfilling our shared global vision, and what can we invent together that we cannot accomplish alone?
   
5. Exploring Emergent Technologies and the Future of Openness
   What is the impact of new technologies on our open practices and approaches? What are the practical and ethical implications of emergent technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), and our use of them? In what ways might these tools shape human connections, creativity, and curiosity?
   

Session Formats

The following session formats are available and can be applied to any conference track. For this hybrid conference, you will have the option of selecting your preferred mode (in-person, hybrid, or online). Please note: this mode cannot be changed after submission.    

1. Presentations
   Conference presentations are given by one or more speakers, followed by Questions and Answers (Q&A) with participants.
   • Time allocation: 30 minutes 
   • Presentations may be in-person (all speakers are in-person), hybrid (at least one speaker is in-person, others are online), or online (all speakers are online).  
2. Panel Discussions
   Panels are moderated sessions discussing a topic that is designed to give the audience different perspectives. Panels should focus on an interactive discussion between the panel members and the audience. Panel proposals should include the topics to be discussed, how the audience will engage in the discussion, and the expected outcomes for the session. 
   • Time allocation: 60 minutes
   • Panels may be in-person (all speakers are in-person), hybrid (at least one speaker is in-person, others are online), or online (all speakers are online).
3. Asynchronous Lightning Talks (Online only)
   Asynchronous lightning talks are overviews of any topic or project related to the conference theme/tracks. These prerecorded videos will be available for all registered conference participants to view.
   • Time allocation: 5 minutes
   • Asynchronous lightning talks are only available online and will be available to all conference participants. 
4. Round Tables (In-person only)
   Round tables are facilitated discussions that engage small groups of participants in conversations about pressing issues related to the conference theme/tracks and incubate collaborations. Proposed topics for round tables can relate the conference theme/tracks to specific regions, languages, or other categories that expand and/or focus our collective conversation. Round tables will not be provided with technology support. 
   • Time allocation: 30 minutes 
   • Round tables are in-person only.
     

Selection Criteria

Submissions will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

1. Relevance: Does the submission relate to the conference theme or tracks? Does it represent an innovative approach to the field?
2. Clarity and Coherence: Does the submission explain the aim(s) of the proposal in an understandable way and in consistency with the requirements of the call?
3. Learning Outcomes: Does the submission effectively detail what participants can expect to learn in the session or how the session will advance their understanding of open education?

Submission Requirements

Proposals for OEGlobal 2026 must be submitted in English and include the following top-level items:

• Names of speakers
• Title of submission
• Primary conference track
• Session format and modality
• Abstract (500 words maximum) 
• Learning outcomes/key takeaways (100-200 words maximum)
• Language of presentation

We recommend you prepare your submission by making a copy of the OEGlobal 2026 Proposal Submission Template and using it to guide your submission. All submissions must be completed online.

Key Dates

Milestone	Date
Submissions Due	Mar 30, 11:59 pm EST
Notifications Sent	May 1 (Anticipated)
Initial Program Published	Jun 1 (Anticipated)