The 2026 Open Education Awards for Excellence
Who inspires your Open Education journey? Which Open Education Resources should be recognized for excellence? And what are the exceptional ways in which Open Education is implemented? We seek to recognize as many as we can.
Since 2011 the Open Education Awards for Excellence (OEAwards) have highlighted 284 outstanding contributions from the Open Education community and shared hundreds more that were nominated, honoring exemplary people, distinctive Open Educational Resources, and compelling Open Practices from around the world.
What’s Happening?
It’s a new season of OEAwards that begins with the planting the seeds of recognition with nominations from the global Open Education community. For 2026, some 204 seeds have been planted and all of them are now available for you to explore.
Nominations closed June 22 and are being analyzed by the OEAwards Review Committee.
The seeds you plant can grow into the awards celebration in September 2026. All nominations are shared publicly because the OEAwards are as much about wide recognition than crowning winners.
The 2026 OEAwards Timeline
| May 11 | Call for Nominations opens |
| Jun 22 | Deadline to submit a nomination |
| Aug 3 | Review Committee process commences |
| Aug 7 | Notifications and certificates emailed to all nominees |
| Aug 17 | Shortlist of finalists announced online |
| Sep 2 | Winners announced in a live webcast |
| Oct 7-9 | Awardees panel at OEGlobal 2026 |
| Nov ?? | Tentative OEAwards online showcase event |
All Nominees for 2026 Open Education Awards on Display
Notes from the Garden: OEAwards 2026
Transparency of Generative AI Use in OEAward Nominations
News Stories
Connect
Learn about the OEAwards, discuss the process, know more about the categories, and interact with previous winners.
Hall of Fame
Explore our archive of 284 OEAward winners from 2011 onwards. Discover over a decade of exceptional accomplishments by the Open Education community.
Stories of Impact
Hear from previous OEAward winners about how winning this recognition has impacted their work in Open Education.
The 2026 OEAwards Timeline
| May 11 | Call for Nominations opens |
| Jun 22 | Deadline to submit a nomination |
| Aug 3 | Review Committee process commences |
| Aug 7 | Notifications and certificates emailed to all nominees |
| Aug 17 | Shortlist of finalists announced online |
| Sep 2 | Winners announced in a live webcast |
| Oct 7-9 | Awardees panel at OEGlobal 2026 |
| Nov ?? | Tentative OEAwards online showcase event |
Tune in to our podcast episodes featuring conversations with OEAward winners.
Who deserves recognition? Share!
Use the #OEAwards hashtag • Connect with @oeglobal on the platforms you use!