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Open Education National Summit

November 10-12, 2026 • Chicago

The Open Education National Summit is the culminating event of a field-wide, collaborative process to develop national priorities for open education. Held on November 10-12, 2026 in Chicago, the summit will bring together 110 representatives from across the open education field to review input gathered throughout the fall, narrow down a list of priorities, and begin building action plans for the future.

Schedule

Invited Delegate Registration

If you have received an invitation to attend the summit, please confirm your participation by completing the registration form. Note that registration requires an Open Education Association portal account. Current association members should use their member account, and others can either join or create a free account.

Delegate Registration

Schedule

The summit will be held on November 10-12, 2026. The schedule is designed to allow most travelers the option to arrive on the morning of Day 1 and depart on the afternoon of Day 3. 

  • Tuesday, November 10th: 2:00pm - 7:00pm (registration and coffee starts at 1pm, reception begins at 5pm)

  • Wednesday, November 11th: 8:45am - 5:00pm, plus reception 5:30pm - 7:30pm a 5 min walk from hotel

  • Thursday, November 12th: 8:45am - 12:00pm 

This is not a conference; it is a working meeting, and the program will consist primarily of working sessions and small group discussion. Therefore, all attendees are expected to participate in the full summit program.

View Schedule

Summit Venue and Hotel Information

Hilton Chicago

720 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
Hotel phone: (312) 922-4400

Check-in is at 3:00 pm, and check-out is at 11:00 am. If you arrive before check-in or need to store bags after check-out on Thursday, luggage storage is available in the Grand Ballroom.

Hilton Chicago Website

Travel to Chicago

O’Hare International Airport (ORD) Transit

The CTA Blue Line connects O’Hare with downtown Chicago and operates 24 hours daily. The usual airport-to-downtown train ride takes approximately 40–45 minutes, plus time to reach the station and continue to the hotel. Follow airport signs for “CTA Trains” or “Trains to City.” From Terminal 5, take the free Airport Transit System to Terminal 2, then follow signs to the CTA station.

The closest Blue Line stop to the Hilton Chicago is Jackson. From there, it is a 14-minute walk, short uber ride, or short bus ride.

O’Hare ground transportation

Midway International Airport (MDW) Transit

The CTA Orange Line connects Midway with downtown Chicago. CTA estimates approximately 25 minutes to downtown, plus walking and waiting time. Follow airport signs for “CTA Trains” or “Trains to City.” Roosevelt station, served by the Orange Line, is at 1167 South State Street; plan your onward walk or connection to the hotel. The Orange Line does not operate 24 hours, so check its schedule if arriving late.

Midway ground transportation

Transit Fares

Current full fares using Ventra or contactless pay-as-you-go are $5 when boarding at O’Hare and $2.50 for a standard train ride, including from Midway. Ticket and pass options may differ.

CTA airport train guidance

Rideshare and Parking

Make sure that you select the Hilton Chicago at 720 South Michigan Avenue as your destination for rideshare or GPS. There are multiple Hilton hotels in the area, so be careful not to select the wrong one.

Hilton Chicago offers self-parking and valet parking. Overnight rates are $72 per vehicle, per night for self-parking and $88 per vehicle, per night for valet.

For self-parking, use the entrance on E. Balbo Drive or S. Wabash Avenue. For valet parking, use the hotel’s covered entrance on E. Balbo Drive.

Parking rates are subject to change. For additional information and vehicle restrictions, please visit the Hilton Chicago Parking & Directions page.

Dietary & Accessibility

Meals during the summit program will be provided. There will be options to accommodate common dietary restrictions including vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and common allergies. Note that the Hilton Chicago has informed us that they cannot guarantee the absence of allergen cross contamination. 

The Hilton Chicago and all meeting spaces are ADA accessible. During registration, there will be an opportunity to provide information about other accommodations that would enable your full participation. Please direct any questions to contact@opened.org.

Other Travel Logistics

Nearby essentials

  • Trader Joe’s South Loop: 1147 South Wabash Avenue — approximately 12–15 minutes walking. Groceries and snacks.

  • CVS: 520 South State Street — approximately 8–10 minutes walking. Pharmacy and everyday essentials.

  • Windy City News & Gifts: On Hilton Chicago’s lobby level, near Kitty O’Sheas — onsite, approximately 1–2 minutes walking. Snacks, drinks, and travel necessities.

  • Hotel dining: All onsite, approximately 1–3 minutes walking, depending on your location within the hotel: Kitty O’Sheas, 720 South Grill & Bar and Herb N’ Kitchen.

Weather

Chicago can be chilly in November, with typical daytime temperatures in the upper 40s°F and nighttime temperatures in the mid-30s°F. Wind and occasional rain are also possible, so attendees should plan for cool fall weather.

We recommend checking the local forecast shortly before traveling, as conditions may change.

Before you travel

  • Confirm your itinerary and hotel dates.

  • Bring layers, comfortable shoes, and any personal travel essentials.

  • Ensure that you pack a laptop or similar device, or contact us in advance.

  • Check your email for pre-work instructions.

  • Follow your individual travel-support instructions for eligible expenses and receipts, if applicable.

Frequently Asked Questions

    • Narrow down a shared set of national priorities for open education based on input collected from across the field

    • Begin building concrete plans and commitments to advance those priorities over the next three years

    • Strengthen connections across the field and build shared direction for the work ahead

  • Participants in the summit are called “delegates” rather than attendees because they are charged with bringing perspectives from their network, community, or state, not only their own. Qualifications for delegates include:

    • Able to travel in-person to Chicago and participate for the entirety of the program 

    • Engaged in work that connects to open education, either directly (practitioners, advocates) or indirectly (leadership/oversight roles within institutions doing open education work)

    • Conversant in basic open education and OER concepts and terminology (the meeting assumes delegates arrive already familiar with the topic)

    • Able to complete up to 5 hours of work pre- and post-summit (10 hours total), which may include readings, document review, and prep calls

    • Willing to be listed publicly as a delegate (exceptions allowed)

    Note that the summit is not a traditional conference and carries an expectation of active engagement. You read the full role description here.

  • The summit will bring together around 110 delegates that represent a cross-section of the open education field. The number is limited both by the venue and the logistics of a working meeting.

    Delegates are selected through three primary channels:

    • Delegates representing national and regional organizations that work on open education or related issues

    • Delegates representing state and system-level open education initiatives, determined by membership in DOERS

    • At-large delegates selected through an open application process, with travel scholarships available to expand representation

    A small number of invitations is reserved for select leaders, experts, and VIPs, as well as Open Education Association steering committee members.

  • The application process has closed and notifications have been sent. If you have a question about the status of your application, email contact@opened.org.

  • The summit begins Tuesday, November 10 at 2:00pm CT and concludes Thursday, November 12 at 12:00pm CT. Most of the meeting is spent in working sessions and small group discussions, and participants are required to be present for the full program.

    The schedule is designed so that most people can arrive on the morning of the first day and depart on the afternoon of the third day, so only two nights away are required.

    View the online program.

  • The summit is hosted by the Open Education Association and there is no cost to attendees other than the delegate’s own travel.

Sponsors

Contact

Have questions about your participation? Email contact@opened.org and we will be happy to assist you.