Sarah Christen
Deputy CIO,
Cornell University
Collaboration as Our Superpower: Building Specialized Higher Ed IT Communities of Excellence
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 2:15PM–3:00PM CT | Meeting Room 208 B, Level 2
Session Type:
Breakout Session
Delivery Format:
Presentation/Panel Session
One of our greatest superpowers in higher ed IT is our ability to collaborate and share knowledge for the betterment of all. This session explores the methodology and benefits of establishing specialized communities of practice tailored to address specific higher ed IT challenges. Leaders from three different universities (University of Virginia, Cornell, and Notre Dame) will discuss how to draw on some existing frameworks of long-established community-based organizations, work they have all done building communities, as well as highlighting two successful case studies—the Higher Ed Cloud Forum and the Notre Dame AI Forum. We'll demonstrate how targeted communities can accelerate innovation, foster collaboration, and create lasting value for institutions. Participants will learn a practical framework for identifying unmet needs within their professional communities, strategies for launching and nurturing specialized groups, and approaches for measuring their impact. Whether you're considering establishing an EDUCAUSE community group or transforming an existing interest area into a formalized community of practice or excellence, this session can help provide some potential avenues and insights for creating spaces where higher ed IT professionals can collectively solve their most pressing challenges.
