Our Work

As a new organization, the Open Education Association is gearing up for an exciting first year of programming. In partnership with our growing membership and the broader field, we will lay the groundwork for a coordinated and sustainable future for open education—building the systems, relationships, and programs that strengthen collaboration and expand access to knowledge for all.

Read on for more about our plans for the coming year.

Our Strategy

The Open Education Association works to strengthen the open education field through strategic coordination across institutions, organizations, and individuals. Guided by community input, we focus on five long-range strategic objectives and will begin advancing them through key areas of work.

Strategic Objectives

  • Increase the visibility of open education in key forums that influence decision-makers

  • Expand investment in open education and access to funding opportunities for creators and practitioners

  • Build shared infrastructure to support sustainable, scalable open education work

  • Enhance the recognition of open education as a scholarly practice and professional field

  • Respond strategically to barriers that hinder open education or reinforce closed systems

Key Areas of Work

  • Serve as a national voice to promote and advocate for open education in U.S. higher education 

  • Connect and coordinate with members and the broader field in service of greater collective outcomes

  • Offer strategic programming that addresses needs articulated by members and the broader field

  • Curate and disseminate information about open education, making it easy to find and use

  • Become a sustainable, independent nonprofit organization with a strong membership base

Planned Programming

The Open Education Association’s first-year programming will build on insights from our national needs assessment, which identified key opportunities to strengthen the field. Our early initiatives will focus on helping the community adapt to political and technological change, expanding access to funding and tools, and making open educational resources easier to find and use.

  • We have already hit the ground running by launching a set of useful resources to support and connect the field, including actively-maintained webinar, conference, and opportunity lists, as well as a getting started guide. 

  • One of our first programs will aim to expand open education’s visibility at important conferences and meetings in higher education. Through travel stipends and exhibits, we will support members to give presentations and reach audiences that do not typically hear about open education, in order to build opportunities for partnerships and greater reach. 

  • We are planning a series of webinars throughout 2026 that target pressing topics the open education field is navigating. Potential topics include federal policy updates, change management strategies, and approaches to accessibility compliance.

  • Interest in opportunities for mentorship and small-group connections came through clearly in the national survey. We will explore piloting a program that supports mentorship and career development during our first year.

  • As part of our efforts to advance open education as a professional field, we will develop mechanisms for greater recognition for outstanding work. Initially, this will focus on highlighting member impact, but may expand to include national awards or certificates.

  • Continuing our commitment to community engagement, we will establish committees and working groups to guide programs and activities. Participation is optional for members but is a great opportunity for leadership and to help shape our work.