Higher Education IT Strategy Leadership Summit-2025

This is an invitation-only event, open to Public Sector only. For more information or to request an invitation, please contact Hannah Colliss.

The Higher Education IT Strategy Leadership Council Summit, presented by the Center for Digital Education (CDE), is an invitation-only gathering of higher education CIOs and technology executives taking place December 10–11 in New York City.  Hosted by the Center for Digital Education, the Council provides a trusted forum for higher education leaders and industry innovators to exchange ideas, share lessons learned, and shape the future of digital leadership in higher education.

This exclusive summit convenes a select group of institutional and industry leaders for candid, closed-door discussions on the forces reshaping higher education—from modernization and workforce transformation to AI and data-driven decision-making.

The gathering begins the evening of December 10 with a dinner, offering a relaxed setting to connect, exchange ideas, and build trusted relationships before the full-day program.  On December 11, the Council will explore the critical challenges and opportunities defining the next era of higher education IT leadership, including:

• Technical vs. Staffing Debt – balancing modernization with workforce realities and retention.
• Change Management Strategies – addressing resistance and adoption fatigue with empathy and clarity.
• Cloud Migration & Workforce Evolution – redefining IT roles and structures in a post-cloud environment.
• IT as Strategic Partner – aligning technology initiatives with mission, outcomes, and institutional priorities.
• Process Modernization & AI Integration – using data and intelligent automation to drive true transformation.
   

This is not a conference—it’s a working session among peers who are leading the change. Participants will leave with actionable insights, new partnerships, and strategies to manage both the human and technical dimensions of transformation.