Each year, Open Education Week (OEWeek) brings together an incredible amount of activity from across the Open Education community. Institutions, organizations, networks, and individuals host events that share and reflect their work, their students, and their local priorities. It’s one of the things that makes OEWeek so meaningful and also one of the things that led us to think differently about how we show up for you.
For 2026, we’re introducing the OEWeek Ambassador Program through Open Education Global.
This idea grew out of conversations over the past year about how we might shift our role during OEWeek from producing more events ourselves to supporting and amplifying the many events already happening across the community.
The goal is simple
Make people feel and be seen.
The idea behind the program
In 2025, OEGlobal hosted a full slate of events through March. The sessions were strong, and participation was high. At the same time, it was clear that the volume of programming across the global community was immense. Many excellent events were happening simultaneously, and we started asking ourselves an important question:
What if the focus of our role during OEWeek was to show up for others?
The OEWeek Ambassador Program is a way to make our values visible. It centers care, connection, and visibility.
Instead of asking our volunteers and community leaders to organize even more programming on behalf of OEGlobal and its regional nodes, we’re inviting a group of ambassadors to attend sessions locally, regionally, and around the world with the goal of “filling a seat” on behalf of OEGlobal.
What OEWeek Ambassadors Do
OEWeek ambassadors are volunteer community members who participate as visible supporters of OEWeek events.
In practice, that looks like:
- Choosing at least a couple of events from the global OEWeek schedule to attend
- Letting the organizer know in advance that an ambassador will be attending to support their session
- Joining the event with an OEWeek ambassador background screen and introducing themselves in the chat
- Participating as an engaged audience member
- Sharing a short reflection or key takeaway with OEGlobal afterward
That last piece matters a lot. Ambassadors will complete a form after attending a session to highlight insights, resources, and sometimes even quotes from their experience on social media during OEWeek.
In other words, ambassadors help lift up the work that’s already happening.
Why This Matters
Open Education is deeply community-driven. Many OEWeek events are organized by small teams or individuals who care about sharing their work but may not always feel seen in a large global calendar.
The ambassador program is meant to help change that.
When someone shows up intentionally and introduces themselves, engages thoughtfully, and reflects on what they learned, it sends a message:
Your work matters.
We see it.
We’re glad you shared it.
A Program Designed to Feel Good
This concept is intentionally simple. It’s not about adding pressure or creating another layer of work. It’s about creating a positive experience on both sides:
For ambassadors, it’s an opportunity to explore events, connect with colleagues, and be part of the broader OEWeek community in a visible way – and hey, bragging rights for being invited to be an OEWeek ambassador!
For session organizers, it means knowing that someone on behalf of the organizers of OEWeek, Open Education Global, is present, paying attention, and wanting to amplify their work.
At its core, this is about strengthening the sense that OEWeek is something we build together.
Looking Ahead
For 2026, the ambassador program is beginning with invited participants from across the community. This includes OEGlobal staff, board members, advisors, long-time participants, and volunteers from regional nodes. We’re excited to see how this grows and what we learn from it.
If this approach resonates, it may also become a model for how networks across the Open Education community can support and uplift each other during future OEWeeks.
Because sometimes the most meaningful contribution is simply showing up.
Thanks to Heather Blicher, CCCOER Director for championing and shaping the ambassador program.