Educause is a non-profit organization that uses technology to effect positive change in higher education. Founded in 1998, they are dedicated to tackling today’s educational concerns, advocating for the safe and ethical use of technology in teaching, research, and scholarship, and providing leadership and resources to assist institutions in making the best use of technology.

Educause conducts and participates in a variety of conferences, events, and seminars throughout the year to assist them in achieving their purpose.

The Educause Annual Conference is the organization’s main event, attracting thousands of delegates both in person and electronically from all over the world. The conference highlights cutting-edge technology’s potential to improve teaching, learning, research, and scholarship. The 2020 annual conference was held virtually from October 20-23, and keynote speakers included Werner Vogels (CTO of Amazon), Liz Liddy (professor of information studies at Syracuse University), and Charles Robinson (Instructor of Business and Technology at the United States Air Force Academy). Peer-to-peer talks, hands-on technology demos, and a range of other virtual learning possibilities were also featured at the event.

Educause also conducts the Educause Higher Education Information Security (HEISC) conference, which is the primary cybersecurity event for the higher education community, in addition to the Annual Conference. The yearly event is intended to offer delegates current information on how to properly manage information security in higher education. The 2020 HEISC conference was held November 17-19, and guests were treated to virtual sessions from some of the field’s best security professionals. Everything from building effective security policies and securing university identification programs to using Cloud computing to properly store sensitive data was discussed.

Throughout the year, Educause also sponsors several virtual summits and regional institutes. These conferences include cutting-edge information in a variety of disciplines, including IT governance, data and analytics, and digital transformation. Recent virtual summits have addressed issues such as the future of higher education information technology, cybersecurity in the post-COVID-19 environment, and IT resilience and digital transformation. Regional institutes, on the other hand, focus on addressing difficulties specific to a geographical region, such as the East Coast or Midwest.

Educause provides webinars and open learning initiatives as well as other resources for higher education IT workers. Since 2006, its magazine EDUCAUSE Review has provided views on the strategic use of technology in teaching, learning, and research. They also provide a plethora of additional materials, such as research publications, online groups, and professional development opportunities.

Educause has been a prominent force in the higher education world for over two decades. Educause provides a multitude of learning opportunities for IT professionals and keeps them up to date on the newest trends and technology in the higher education arena through their conferences, events, and seminars.