We are giving early notice that Open Education Week 2026 launches six months from now, starting on OEWeek March 2, 2026. Every year since 2012, Open Education Global has coordinated this distributed, global event. We have listened to feedback that this timing is not optimal in many parts of the world.
As we meticulously plan OEWeek 2026, we’ve carefully considered the invaluable feedback from our community, gathered through two surveys and numerous direct discussions. Your input has been instrumental in shaping our flexible and inclusive approach to next year’s celebration of Open Education. This has enabled OEGlobal to consolidate its decision regarding the ongoing timing of OEWeek activities in the future.
The consensus is … there is no consensus, no week that is perfect for all.
We understand that there is no one-size-fits-all time frame that suits everyone globally. Institutions worldwide face a myriad of challenges, from managing new student intakes to accommodating scheduled holidays and religious observances. These complexities underscore the truly global nature of our movement.
“Thanks for doing this survey. I know that OEWeek has been in March for a long time but as OE in Australia is growing rapidly, this timing is really awful for us. The first week of March is Week 1 of Semester 1 – one of the busiest times of the year for HE and no-one has the headspace for anything other than teaching and students. Mid-April would be better timing, but the last week of March would be better than the first week.”
— survey respondent
As we have done in previous years, while Open Education Global puts its energy into the first week of March, the global events calendar is open to including events that take place within an extended window spanning February to April. We encourage organizers to pick a week or any time frame that works best for them. OEGlobal will officially kick off OEWeek at the beginning of March, starting on March 2nd, 2026. We encourage educators and organizations to schedule their events at whatever time works best within an extended window spanning February to April.
“For the last four years, I have spread out OEWeek activities over the entire month of March because one week is just too intense. Also, with a variety of school boards in the region, March Break falls on different weeks. By spreading activities throughout the month, faculty and students who would take a week off to be with their kids can still attend some events if they wish.”
— survey respondent
Whether you choose to host your activities during the OEWeek launch window, from March 2 to 6, or at any time before or after this broad timeframe, rest assured that if you add your events and activities to the OEWeek calendar, OEGlobal will proudly highlight and support them.
“Le mois de mars est très bien et nous faisons le mois de mars le mois de l’éducation ouverte en francophonie de toutes façons” | March is a great month, and we are making March the month of open education in the French-speaking world anyway.
— survey respondent
To launch this vibrant global celebration, OEGlobal will provide intensive coverage of events taking place during that first week of March and will also spotlight activities on either side of this timeframe.
By embracing flexibility and inclusivity, we invite everyone in the open education community to participate in a way that fits their unique schedules and contexts. Let’s come together in 2026 to celebrate, collaborate, and advance open education—whenever and wherever it works best for you.
If you’re excited about #OEWeek26 and want to get started planning your activities, check out our Organisers’ Handbook.