OEGlobal 2026: Full Schedule

All sessions are available online except round tables, special activities, and workshops.

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11:05am EDT

Connecting the Opens in Europe: From Strategy to Alliance-Building for Knowledge as a Public Good

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT

ID: 32921

Across Europe, open education has often developed alongside, rather than together with, related movements such as open science, open access, and open knowledge policy. Yet in a period marked by rapid digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and pressure on public-interest infrastructures, fragmentation is becoming a strategic weakness. This session examines how “connecting the opens” can provide a stronger foundation for open education by linking policy, practice, and community across sectors.The presentation draws on three connected strands of work. First, it discusses SPARC Europe’s Connecting the Opens position paper (https://zenodo.org/records/17572650), which makes the case for intentionally aligning Open Science and Open Education to build a more equitable and future-oriented higher education system in Europe. Second, it presents insights from the feasibility work for a possible European Open Education Alliance (https://zenodo.org/records/18862080), which identified strong support for a broader coordinating structure able to strengthen policy coherence, infrastructure conversations, shared understanding, and collective action across countries. Third, it reflects on the contribution that community-based activities can make to sustaining exchange, experimentation, and implementation, exploring the European Network of Open Education Librarians as an example of this approach.Rather than presenting these as separate initiatives, the session argues that they represent three layers of the same change strategy: conceptual alignment, ecosystem coordination, and community practice. Taken together, they suggest that open education can gain greater visibility, legitimacy, and impact when understood not as an isolated field but as part of a wider movement to uphold knowledge as a public good.The session will offer participants a strategic framework and practical insights for thinking about how open education communities can connect across institutional, national, and thematic boundaries. It will be of interest to policymakers, network leaders, librarians, educators, and open practitioners seeking ways to move from dispersed activity toward durable collaboration.

Speakers

Paola Corti

Senior Open Education Expert, SPARC Europe

Paola Corti is a Senior Open Education Expert at SPARC Europe, and she manages the European Network of Open Education Librarians (ENOEL); she supports librarians in taking action to implement the UNESCO OER Recommendation. She also works part of her time at Politecnico di Milano (Italy... Read More →

Vanessa Proudman

Director, SPARC Europe

Vanessa Proudman is Director of SPARC Europe, working to make Open the default in Europe. Vanessa has well over 20 years of experience in international, national and regional policymaking and advocacy in the areas of Open Access, Open Science, Open Culture and Open Education with... Read More →

Paul Stacey

Independent Consultant, https://paulstacey.global

Based in Vancouver Canada Paul Stacey is an independent consultant on open education and the strategic use of open in education, science, culture and other sectors. From 2022 through to current times Paul helped SPARC Europe connect Open Science with Open Education through their... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
2 Room M MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Hybrid
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

12:25pm EDT

Teachers as Changemakers: Adopting OER for Environmental and Sustainability Education in Middle School

Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

8 DR6

ID: 32351

This session presents findings from recent research focused on the availability and efficacy of Open Educational Resources (OER) for environmental and sustainability education, specifically tailored for learners in Grades 5 through 7. In a time of escalating environmental challenges, ranging from climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource conservation, education is essential in promoting change. The middle years are a critical time for this education; children are forming their values, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility. When environmental education reaches this age group, it can shape not only what they understand, but what they do about it and who they become. This is captured in a saying by Baba Dioum, “In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will only understand what we are taught.”However, there are barriers to teaching this. Although several countries, including Canada, have committed to integrating environmental and climate education, progress has been slow, teachers lack access to resources and don’t have the time or expertise to create their own, and teachers are intimidated by topics like climate change which are highly controversial and political. Teachers want to empower their students, but they need the right tools.OER offer an opportunity to provide equitable, scalable, and adaptable materials. These digital resources allow educators to customize content to reflect local environmental contexts and specific learner needs. Furthermore, OER for environmental education align with UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and Goal 13 (Climate Action).Despite their potential, the extent to which existing OER meet the needs of kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) educators is not well understood. This study identifies existing resources that align with Grade 5 to 7 curriculum standards, as well as gaps and areas for improvement to ensure OER can be effectively integrated into K-12 curriculum. The research also provides a systematic process for analyzing OER that can be applied to other K-12 subjects and educational standards, including the use of AI technologies to analyze resources.The outcome of this study is a curated collection of resources within the OER Commons Climate Hub which teachers can integrate immediately into their curriculum. This supports educators in accessing high-quality materials that promote environmental awareness and sustainable practices among youth. Ultimately, these findings are intended for educators, policymakers, GLAM institutions (galleries, libraries, archives, museums), and environmental organizations to encourage OER use for environmental education and to contribute to the broader discussion on OER adoption in K-12. This research contributes to the development of environmentally conscious and empowered citizens and supports UNESCOs Sustainable Development Goals, including promoting ongoing dialogue on the role of OER in K-12 and the importance of environmental education across all subjects

Speakers

Emily Grady

Master's student, Athabasca University

Emily Grady is in her final year of Athabasca University's Master of Education in Open, Digital and Distance Education, specializing in instructional design. As an avid outdoorsperson, a parent, and an environmental advocate, her personal, academic and professional interests center... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
8 DR6 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Online
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

1:40pm EDT

Charting the Path: Seeding the Open Education Movement

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:40pm - 2:45pm EDT

7 DR5

ID: 33949

The open education movement itself may be the biggest legacy of the announcement made on the front page of the New York Times on April 4, 2001, “Auditing Classes at M.I.T., on the Web and Free.” The innovation and leadership of MIT and the William and Flora Hewlett and the Andrew W. Mellow Foundations, along with Creative Commons, did more than just break paths for access to learning as a public good in the digital age, they made possible the impact from countless other organizations globally. This announcement twenty five years ago accelerated a global online movement in open education. This session invites selected organizations from the early days of open education to describe their paths and impact, thanks in small part to paths opened by MIT OpenCourseWare.Panelists will tell their organization’s open education origin stories and celebrate their impact and innovation over the last two decades.Delft University Technology: TU Delft, the oldest and largest technical university in the Netherlands, is at the forefront of open and online learning and a long standing advocate for open education. One of the first opencoursewares globally, TU Delft continues to offer openly licensed course materials through its OpenCourseWare, which was launched in 2007.Open Education Japan: OE Japan represents universities and companies in Japan promoting open education and disseminating open educational resources. With its origins in the Japan OCW Consortium, OE Japan includes two early opencoursewares celebrating their 20+ year anniversaries, the University of Tokyo OpenCourseWare, the University of Kyoto OpenCourseWare and Nagoya University OpenCourseWare.Open Education Global: Today, OEGlobal connects a broad global community of open education organizations and leads international initiatives such as Open Education Week. It has its origins as the OpenCourseWare Consortium with informal meetings beginning in 2006. Mountain Heights Academy: Mountain Heights serves approximately 3,000 middle and high school students across Utah in the United States with a curriculum based on open education resources. Founded as the Open High School of Utah in 2009, it was the first K-12 school to embrace open education resources as the primary educational content for its courses.

Speakers

DeLaina Tonks

Executive Director, Mountain Heights Academy

Dr. DeLaina Tonks has been involved in education since 1991, as a teacher, instructional designer, and administrator. Prior to coming to Mountain Heights Academy, she taught high school French and Spanish in Upper Arlington, Ohio. DeLaina is a 2020 “Best of State – Administrator... Read More →

Katsusuke Shigeta

Professor, Information Inititative Center / Hokkaido University

Dr. Katsusuke Shigeta is a Professor at the Information Initiative Center and Director of the Data-Driven Education Initiative Center at Hokkaido University. He serves as the President of Open Education Japan (OEJ) and was previously a member of the Board of Directors for Open Education... Read More →

Willem van Valkenburg

Executive Director TU Delft Learning for Life Centre, Delft University of Technology

Willem van Valkenburg is the Executive Director of the Learning for Life Centre of Delft University of Technology based in the Netherlands. The Centre offers online and blended education to empower professionals and lifelong learners worldwide. The Centre has developed more than 250... Read More →

Curt Newton

Director, MIT OpenCourseWare, MIT Open Learning

Curt Newton leads MIT OpenCourseWare in supporting millions of global learners and educators every year with freely shared materials from over 2,500 MIT courses. He joined OpenCourseWare in 2004, shortly after its launch, captivated by the promise of open education, and worked as... Read More →

Brandon Muramatsu

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:40pm - 2:45pm EDT
7 DR5 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Panel

Speaker Modality Hybrid
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

1:40pm EDT

Commons, Ecosystems, and Schools: Structures for Futuring Open

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:40pm - 2:45pm EDT

3 Room I

ID: 33966

The open education movement stands at a critical inflection point. After 25 years of evolution, and in the midst of emerging technologies largely controlled by commercial interests, this is a critical time to pause, reflect, and re-consider the philosophical foundations and building blocks shaping its future—specifically the commons, ecosystems, and schools. Moving forward, questions of sustainability, participation, and purpose are becoming increasingly urgent to revisit, particularly in the context of a changing world with rapid technological and institutional shifts.This panel brings together a collective set of voices that reflect their lived experience within the open education movement and are uniquely positioned to suggest a way to reset and reframe as we think about what comes next. Drawing on decades of experience across research, practice, innovation, and system-building, the panelists will offer grounded perspectives on how the movement can evolve and how we can shape the future of open education with intention, clarity, and collective responsibility.Framing open education through the lens of the learning commons, the session will explore how shared open resources can be governed, sustained, and expanded in ways that ensure equitable participation and benefit without exploitation. It will invite participants to engage deeply with the commons-based approach as a foundation for the next phase of open education, prioritizing collective ownership, stewardship, and long-term sustainability.Building on this, the panel will examine the role of ecosystems as the enabling structures that connect people, resources, and practices. We will explore how stakeholders in the open education ecosystems can function as stewards of the movement and as force multipliers, where collaboration amplifies impact and accelerates innovation. The conversation will surface the frameworks for such ecosystems to thrive, including aligned incentives, shared infrastructure, and governance approaches that support trust and long-term collaboration.Finally, the session will focus on schools as critical sites of application and innovation within these ecosystems. The panel will explore how schools can support and sustain the movement becoming active contributors and co-creators while navigating current challenges such as resource constraints and shifting ideological landscapes. It will examine why and how faculty, students, and institutional leadership can engage meaningfully in open practices and become active participants in shaping the next 25 years of the movement beyond a narrow focus on access to resources.The panel will then solicit reactions and thoughts from the audience, both in-person and online. Together we will initiate a dialogue on what directions, choices, and changes we collectively need to make at the ecosystem, commons, and school/library levels to move open education forward.Across these three interconnected structures, the session will also engage with emerging ethical dilemmas and technological shifts—particularly the growing role of AI in the creation, adaptation, and dissemination of open resources. The panel will critically examine what it means to remain truly open, equitable, and community-driven, and how the values of openness can be upheld in an evolving digital landscape.

Speakers

Lisa Petrides

CEO and Founder, Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME)

Lisa Petrides is CEO and founder of the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), a nonprofit dedicated to making learning and knowledge-sharing participatory and open for all. She is a scholar and international open education expert who has led the development... Read More →

Jim Luke

Independent Scholar and Professor of Economics (ret), Planning Solutions LLC

Jim Luke is an independent scholar and planning consultant. He is a retired professor of economics and was Open Learning Faculty Fellow at a community college in Michigan (USA), where he created the Open Learning Lab, a web-based pedagogy innovation incubator. Jim has expertise in... Read More →

Robin DeRosa

Executive Director, Open Education Network

Dr. Robin DeRosa is an educator and community leader who has served in many roles over the span of her career. She has been a middle school theater teacher, a high school literature and writing teacher, and a college professor of both English and Interdisciplinary Studies. She has... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:40pm - 2:45pm EDT
3 Room I MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Panel

Speaker Modality In-person
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

2:15pm EDT

Building Bridges Between Higher Education and K-12 Through Open Lifelong Learning

Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT

5 DR3

ID: 30484

This session presents a transformative multi-sectoral partnership model between Erciyes University and the Murat Kantarcı Science and Art Center (BİLSEM), a collaboration recently distinguished in the European-wide SAMUELE Compendium: “University Lifelong Learning Applied Cases that Inspire.” As one of the premier cases selected from 17 European countries, this initiative serves as a strategic roadmap for integrating University Lifelong Learning (ULLL) into institutional governance, research, and societal impact through open and inclusive ecosystems.The core of this session addresses a persistent challenge in global education: the structural and pedagogical "space between" academic research in higher education and its practical enactment in K-12 classrooms. Led by Prof. Dr. Fatma Bozkurt and Çelebi Kalkan, this partnership redefines lifelong learning not merely as an isolated continuing education activity, but as a holistic, integrated domain for institutional transformation. We demonstrate how Erciyes University’s strategic vision for sustainability and social responsibility is actualized through a formal partnership with BİLSEM, a specialized institution for gifted and talented students.The session will explore three primary dimensions of "Connecting the Dots":Institutional Synergy and Governance: We will detail how the governance structures of a major university can be aligned with K-12 centers to create a seamless, open learning pathway. This includes the integration of lifelong learning into the university’s broader mission of "social contribution."Pedagogical Innovation (The Think-Feel-Act Model): Participants will be introduced to the UNESCO-recognized "Think-Feel-Act" pedagogical framework. We will showcase how this model is utilized to train prospective teachers, allowing them to engage in real-world sustainability workshops and "green entrepreneurship" activities as part of their lifelong learning journey.European Alignment and Scaling: Drawing from the SAMUELE Compendium findings, we will discuss how this case contributes to the "European Higher Education Area" by fostering resilience, inclusivity, and responsiveness to societal crises like climate change.Key Takeaways for Attendees: Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to build and sustain "Open Learning Ecosystems" that leverage cross-institutional resources. We will share specific strategies for bridging the gap between higher education faculty and K-12 practitioners, ensuring that open education resources and methodologies are not just developed, but effectively implemented and scaled. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with a proven framework for institutionalizing multi-sectoral partnerships that empower both educators and learners as active agents of change in their communities.This session is particularly relevant for policymakers, university administrators, and K-12 educators seeking to "reinvent our shared global vision" by breaking down institutional silos and fostering a truly open, lifelong learning culture.

Speakers

Fatma Bozkurt

Professor Doctor, Erciyes University

Prof. Dr. Fatma Bozkurt, Erciyes Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Uygulamalı Matematik Bölümü'nde seçkin bir profesördür ve Almanya, BAE, Kuveyt ve Türkiye'de 18 yılı aşkın uluslararası öğretim ve araştırma deneyimine sahiptir. Akademik liderliği, özellikle Z kuşa... Read More →

Çelebi Kalkan

Expert Teacher, Murat Kantarcı Science and Arts Center

Çelebi Kalkan, Türkiye'deki Murat Kantarcı Bilim ve Sanat Merkezi'nde (BİLSEM) STEM+A eğitimi, sürdürülebilir kalkınma ve iklim değişikliği pedagojisi alanlarında uzmanlaşmış bir öğretmendir. UNESCO Yeşil Eğitim Ortaklığı üyesi ve Scientix STEM Elçisi olarak... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Online
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

3:00pm EDT

Re-Designing an International, Student-Led, Co-Curricular, Community-Engaged, Experiential Learning Project for OA

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

5 DR3

ID: 33695

This design case details the development of an international, student-led, co-curricular, community-engaged, experiential learning project during its first two years, during which staff and faculty guided and mentored undergraduate students as they developed a process for mentoring young writers in the US and East Africa and creating an anthology of their stories. This project was later converted to an open access approach for creating OER. I discuss critical challenges and successes regarding the design of the project that were made during this period, following the organization of teams for mentoring young writers, editing the anthology, raising funds for printing, and implementing an evaluation plan. I will focus specifically on the challenges and benefits of a minimally-funded project that placed much of the decision-making in the hands of the students. The project lasted for twelve years and resulted in twelves volumes of stories in English and Kinyarwanda, many of which are available for free online. It wasn't until after the first twelve years that the project members considered OA approaches. I conclude with implications for developing and converting to OA a project of this complexity and discuss the successes and failures that the project encountered during the first two years of its implementation (2008-2010) and beyond. I discuss the current emphasis of the project on preparing educators to create OA juvenile titles that can be adapted and translated into underserved languages.

Speakers

Beth Lewis Samuelson

Associate Professor, Indiana University Bloomington

Beth Lewis Samuelson is Associate Professor in the Indiana University Bloomington School of Education, with distinguished contributions in service, teaching, and research and 20 years of experience in higher education. Her research specializations include language awareness and language... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

3:00pm EDT

Open Publishing in Practice Across Europe

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:05pm EDT

3 Room I

ID: 33888

In this panel, leaders from institutions across Europe will share how they are building and scaling open publishing networks to support institution-wide publishing initiatives — and what those efforts mean for knowledge as a public good.Each panelist will showcase their open catalogs, highlight key Open Educational Resources (OER) projects, and offer a behind-the-scenes look at how open publishing is being implemented across different national and institutional contexts. We'll explore how and why each institution chose to launch their initiatives, the types of publishing they support, and how they are working to advance institutional goals around openness, access, and teaching innovation.Attendees will hear what each team is most proud of, lessons learned along the way, and what's next for open publishing at their institutions. Whether you're just getting started with open education or looking to scale an existing program, this session offers practical insights and perspectives from across Europe on building sustainable open publishing infrastructure.

Speakers

Celine Peignen

Deputy Librarian, Technological University of the Shannon

Celine Peignen is the Deputy Librarian and Open Education Librarian at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), where she has worked in the library sector for over 15 years. She has been a driving force behind TUS's open education strategy, securing funding from the National... Read More →

Maura Flynn

Open Educational Resources Librarian, Technological University of the Shannon

Maura Flynn is the Open Educational Resources (OER) Librarian at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), where she leads the development and promotion of open publishing and open education initiatives across the institution. She is the founder of TUS Open Press, the university's... Read More →

Amanda Coolidge

VP, Strategic Engagement and Growth, Pressbooks

Amanda Coolidge is VP of Strategic Engagement and Growth at Pressbooks, where she leads marketing, sales, and customer success and serves as product manager for the company's microcredential platform. She is the founder of Coolidge Collaborative and former Executive Director of BCcampus... Read More →

Kirstine McDermid

Open Education Resources Manager, University of Leeds

Kirstine McDermid is dedicated to fostering inclusive and equitable learning pathways through open education. With expertise in Pressbooks, instructional technologies, WordPress, course design, accessibility, copyright, and licensing, she supports educators in adapting and creating... Read More →

Jane Saunders

Associate Director: Content and Discovery, University of Leeds

Jane is responsible for the Libraries’ main research and teaching collections. (Rare books and archives fall under the remit of our Cultural Collections). She manages the Libraries’ information resources budget, which buys the books, journals, databases and digitised collections... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:05pm EDT
3 Room I MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Panel

Speaker Modality Hybrid
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

5:30pm EDT

Preparing for the Future of Work: Communications Between Workforce and OER

Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT

3 Room I

ID: 33960

Upskilling and reskilling of the current workforce has become an essential part of achieving the global development agenda of the UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Skills centered on equitable access, digital competency, and principles of sustainability are vital not only for economic growth, but also for our societies to thrive. While educational institutions and industries guide students from one stop on their path to the next, collaboration or even communication between both parties is limited.This panel brings together representatives from the DOERS Workforce Development Project to share their perspectives on the rapidly-evolving relationship between workforce and post-secondary education systems, and the value of open education in this currently prioritized landscape. Industry representatives, directors of workforce initiatives, college & university administrators and faculty, open education leaders, and working group leaders will discuss challenges and achievements in strategic outreach and forged connections. Sharing concrete examples demonstrating how the openly licensed, customizable nature of OER facilitates innovative approaches to support career-connected learning and align programs with workforce needs will impart the value of OER in workforce development to session attendees. This project explores open educational resources (OER) as a practical policy tool supporting institutional innovation, affordability, and workforce alignment across many US states and Canadian provinces. OER use allows institutions to update curriculum efficiently, embed industry-recognized competencies, and reduce cost barriers; goals that are particularly relevant as states expand work-based learning, dual enrollment, competency-based education, and stackable credential pathways. Since 2024, the DOERS Workforce Project has focused on a three-phase approach toward its goal of supporting higher education systems and consortia toward the growth and integration of open education and OER across workforce-aligned education. Phase One was the creation and testing of an OER + Workforce Collaboration System at OpenEd25 and a plenary workshop at the Wyoming OER Conference 2026. This co-design experience invites participants to explore and test a suite of collaboration tools designed to help cross-sector teams imagine, create, and implement workforce-aligned OER solutions. Phase Two was the convening of 3 focus groups to further spotlight gaps in OER + workforce and offer future directions. Phase Three saw the generation of a Workforce OER Playbook. This living resource (forthcoming Summer 2026) will collect real-world use cases, stories, and evidence from across the OER and workforce development communities — showcasing how collaboration can lead to better learning outcomes and stronger regional economies. Both the Collaboration System and the Playbook will be openly published and made available to session attendees. DOERS acknowledges its valuable partnership with The Rebus Foundation and Clear Kinetic on the Workforce Project.

Speakers

Jaimie Henthorn

Director, Academic Innovation Programs, University of Colorado System

As Director of Academic Innovation Programs for the University of Colorado System, Jaimie leads initiatives across four campuses aimed at lowering barriers to quality education through innovation. Initiatives include OER, micro-credentialing, MOOCs, and more. Currently, the Innovation... Read More →

Mindy Newfarmer

Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
3 Room I MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Panel

Speaker Modality In-person
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

5:30pm EDT

Beyond Epistemicide: The Polymath Protocol for Decentralized Knowledge Creation in the Global South

Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT

7 DR5

ID: 33364

The global open education movement has successfully removed financial paywalls for millions of learners. However, by focusing primarily on access to content rather than the origin of content, we have inadvertently created a system of "epistemicide" in the Global South. When a student in Nigeria or India is taught to see the world predominantly through the lens of Western-centric case studies, educational materials, and academic canons, education transitions from a process of liberation to one of cultural assimilation. This creates a global monoculture of thought that devalues localized problem-solving frameworks, indigenous knowledge systems, and regional languages.This session directly challenges the foundational premise of modern open education: that the mere distribution of Global North content is inherently an objective good. We will examine how hard metrics prove this disparity. With over 75% of research articles published in English and less than 5% of major open educational resources originating from authors based in the Global South, we are training the next generation of thinkers to solve the problems of the West rather than the urgent issues facing their own communities.The primary goal of this session is to pivot the conversation from OER 1.0 (access to existing materials) to OER 2.0 (local agency and decentralized authorship). To achieve this, I will introduce "The Polymath Protocol"—a theoretical, decentralized epistemic infrastructure designed to invert the current flow of global knowledge.We will explore how this protocol leverages non-proprietary, open-source networking to connect regional "Knowledge Hubs." Furthermore, we will dive into how emerging technologies, such as federated AI models, can be trained locally on indigenous data and regional dialects. This ensures that learners are not subject to the algorithmic bias and cultural homogenization inherent in monolithic, centralized tech giants.By moving away from a top-down, one-way funnel of expertise, the Polymath Protocol offers a viable architectural alternative that prioritizes cognitive diversity and true epistemic justice.Key Takeaways for Attendees:A Critical Framework: Attendees will learn to critically evaluate the "open-washing" of research and recognize the hidden cultural tax imposed on non-Western learners by the current academic hierarchy.Actionable Technical Alternatives: Participants will explore the mechanics of federated AI and decentralized storage as practical tools for preserving linguistic and intellectual diversity in digital education.Policy and Advocacy Strategies: Educators and policymakers will gain insights into the structural shifts required to fund local knowledge creators, move toward credit interoperability, and foster a truly democratic, multi-centered global knowledge ecosystem.This session is designed for educators, technologists, and advocates who believe that the future of human learning should not be a corporate monoculture, but a rich, resilient, and localized ecosystem of diverse ideas.

Speakers

Dhairya Chauhan

Computational Physics Researcher & AICTE Ideation Lab Contributor, Earth School

Dhairya Chauhan is an emerging researcher and AICTE Ideation Lab Fellow whose work sits at the intersection of computational physics, mathematical modeling, and the future of equitable education. Shared by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) for his contributions... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
7 DR5 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Online
Track (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together

OEGlobal 2026

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Tickets

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OEGlobal 2026

11:05am EDT

Paola Corti

Vanessa Proudman

Paul Stacey

12:25pm EDT

Emily Grady

1:40pm EDT

DeLaina Tonks

Katsusuke Shigeta

Willem van Valkenburg

Curt Newton

Brandon Muramatsu

1:40pm EDT

Lisa Petrides

Jim Luke

Robin DeRosa

2:15pm EDT

Fatma Bozkurt

Çelebi Kalkan

3:00pm EDT

Beth Lewis Samuelson

3:00pm EDT

Celine Peignen

Maura Flynn

Amanda Coolidge

Kirstine McDermid

Jane Saunders

5:30pm EDT

Jaimie Henthorn

Mindy Newfarmer

5:30pm EDT

Dhairya Chauhan

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