Our team has returned from the EDUCAUSE annual conference energized by the conversations they had with higher ed technology community members. Below is a reflective look at key takeaways, standout sessions, and what’s ahead as we continue to provide innovative solutions for campuses of all sizes.
Gathering of the Community and Big Ideas
The final day’s general session brought together senior leaders and practitioners around the theme of “Putting People First,” echoing how technology is increasingly framed as an enabler of human-centred institutional strategy. A few notable takeaways include:
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The conference attracted a broad range of higher-ed IT professionals, academic leaders and solution providers all under one roof—aligning with the conference’s aim to connect “the best thinkers in higher education technology,” according to EDUCAUSE organizers.
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Networking and informal connections remained a strong undercurrent, coffee breaks, hallway chats, “Braindates,” and the exhibit hall (aka the EDUCAUSE Commons) continued to be vibrant.
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The agenda emphasised tracks such as leadership/change management, infrastructure/data, student experience, and institutional innovation making it clear that technology is no longer just a tool but part of strategic transformation.
Top Trends to Watch
A few key themes surfaced repeatedly across sessions and hallway conversations:
Generative AI & the student experience
One breakout titled “Findings from EDUCAUSE’s 2025 Students and Technology Report” spotlighted how student expectations are shifting in response to generative AI, hybrid/online modalities and workforce preparation. Many institutions are now asking: How do we integrate AI in a way that enhances learning rather than distracts? Also: How can we support students in new learning modalities and prepare them for a changing workforce?
Data, infrastructure & risk
With the growth of connected systems, cloud-services, AI tools and hybrid learning models, infrastructure strategy, data governance and risk/compliance are increasingly front of mind. These conversations featured heavily in the enterprise/infrastructure tracks.
Leadership, culture & capacity building
Several sessions emphasized that the technology challenge is as much about people and culture as it is about tools. Building institutional agility, supporting early-career professionals, and fostering collaborative leadership were recurrent themes.
Student-centred design
There’s a clear shift from ‘What tools do we need?’ toward ‘How do we design the experience for students and align with their expectations?’ The student lens is increasingly dominant.
What Mattered For Exhibitors and Technology Providers
For technology firms and solution providers, especially those in the higher-ed ecosystem, three things were front and center:
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Visibility and conversations: The EDUCAUSE Commons exhibit hall continues to be a key space to engage with campus decision-makers, gather real feedback and build relationships.
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Differentiation through value and outcomes: With so many vendors and overlapping solutions, emphasising how your solution drives student success, operational efficiency, or institutional resilience is critical.
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Emphasis on partnerships and integration: Institutions were asking more about how new tools will integrate with existing systems, how data flows across environments, and how scalability and security are maintained.
Mimo’s Strategic Angle and What to Watch
Given our work to bring Mimo FlashCast and the Mimo Adapt line of tablets to market, we had several strategic reflections:
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The focus on student experience and institutional agility aligns well with FlashCast’s positioning (visual emergency alerts, real-time campus communication). The student lens remains important, and safety/alerting is still an under-addressed dimension on many campuses.
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Infrastructure, integration and vendor-ecosystem conversations are important: how will Adapt EDLA and LTS tablets fit into existing AV/network infrastructure? How will you position in-class and digital signage use cases?
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Networking and relational capital remain key: you’ll want to capture follow-ups, ensure your booth interactions convert into meaningful next steps (demos, pilots) and keep up the momentum post-conference.
Final Thoughts
EDUCAUSE 2025 offered a reminder that for higher-ed technology, it's not just about what tools we deploy, but how they support people, culture and learning outcomes. It reaffirmed that transformation is as much human as it is technical.
If you missed us at the show or just want a recap of the new solutions we showcased, schedule time with our time using this link: https://mimomonitors.zohobookings.com/#/MimoSales
