This holiday season, unwrap the gift of a new SXSW EDU 2026 announcement!

Three new Featured Sessions have joined the lineup, with incredible thought leaders including former Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper, CEO of Teach for America Aneesh Sohoni, and President of the Carnegie Foundation Timothy Knowles. These voices, and more, are bringing bold ideas to the SXSW EDU stage and tackling today’s most important issues. From the fate of higher education to educator visibility and getting real about student outcomes, these leaders are building back belief in public education and changing the future of learning.

New for 2026, we are thrilled to announce the SXSW EDU Clubhouse taking place at the historic Antone’s! From Monday through Wednesday, Antone's will transform into a vibrant home base for attendees to network, participate in events, and more with exciting details yet to be revealed.

Plus, the Mentor Program lineup is here, featuring 120+ mentors! Explore this year’s One-on-One Mentor Sessions and Roundtable Discussions below, as well as 70+ newly announced sessions, 30+ Meet Ups, and an exciting reveal of additional networking opportunities!

Featured Sessions

From the Stage to the Stars: A New Script for STEM

From pageants to rocket science, today’s STEM leaders don’t fit the old mold, and that’s the point. As AI reshapes classrooms and student disengagement grows, tired metaphors like train speeds and baseball stats fall flat. This panel uses real-world stories to show how visibility, storytelling, and diverse role models can help more students see themselves in STEM and spark inclusive, innovative outcomes.

• Aisha Bowe, Founder & CEO, STEMBoard
• Alma Cooper, Former Miss USA 2024 & Knight-Hennessy Scholar, Stanford University
• Scarlin Hernandez, Rocket Scientist, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (Former)
• Walt Hickey, Executive Editor, Sherwood News

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Reasons to Believe: Reclaiming Optimism in Public Education

At a time when belief in public education is eroding, this conversation explores why optimism is both justified and essential. Discover what’s working across classrooms and communities—from evidence-based instruction to AI-enhanced tools and reimagined teaching roles. Leave with actionable insights, renewed hope, and a deeper understanding of the bold ideas fueling student learning and shaping the future of public education.

• Aneesh Sohoni, CEO, Teach For America
• Frances Messano, CEO, NewSchools Venture Fund

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Redefining Success: A New Social Contract for Higher Ed

We’ll reexamine the contributions of postsecondary institutions nationwide by focusing on student success. The Carnegie Classifications—the nation’s gold standard for organizing the postsecondary sector for over 50 years—will now determine institutional excellence not simply based on prestige, student selectivity, or degrees awarded, but based on how well schools set their students up for success in the real world. This new framework evaluates institutions on two critical metrics—access and earnings. It’s time to measure what matters most—student outcomes.

• Ted Mitchell, President, American Council on Education
• Timothy Knowles, President, Carnegie Foundation

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The SXSW EDU Clubhouse

Open Monday, March 9 through Wednesday, March 11, Antone's will serve as a dynamic, central hub you simply can't miss. Look forward to experiencing daily performances, Keynote livestreams, social events every night, and more.

More Programming Announcements

Mentors & Roundtable Discussions

Build connections and receive expert guidance, support, and insights through the SXSW EDU Mentor Program. Explore the initial lineup of over 120 mentors and 12 Roundtable Discussions.

This year, the magic of our Mentor Program doubles! Each One-on-One session and Roundtable Discussion will take place twice, so if you miss the first session, you’ll have another chance to be part of the conversation. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when reservations are open.

New Sessions Revealed

Dive into over 70 sessions that have been added to the 2026 lineup across all formats.

Meet Ups To Explore

Dive into over 30 meet ups, with more to come, offering topic-driven networking opportunities tailored to your interests. Explore sessions that spark your passion and connect with like-minded peers.

Discover Networking Opportunities

Coffee & Snack Breaks

Stop by the Expo in the morning and afternoon for coffee breaks and afternoon snacks to stay energized.

• Coffee Break (Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday)
• Snack Break presented by ExxonMobil Foundation (Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday)

Pop-Up Dinners

Join your peers at a pop-up dinner to grab a bite to eat while making new connections! Don’t worry about saving a seat, we’ve already made the reservation.

• Pop-Up Dinner at Corner Restaurant (Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday)
• Pop-Up Dinner at Cannon & Belle (Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday)
• Pop-Up Dinner at Corinne (Monday | Tuesday

Walking Tours

Get to know Austin’s history, music, and art culture on one-hour guided walking tours through the historic downtown and East Side.

• Austin Music Walking Tour (Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday)
• East Side Art Walking Tour (Monday | Wednesday)
• Downtown Austin Walking Tour (Sunday | Tuesday)

Socials

Stop by the number of social events happening during the week and meet other attendees while enjoying music, food, drinks, and more.

• Early Bird Social presented by Achievement First
• Opening Party presented by Western Governors University
• Student Impact Challenge Ice Cream Social presented by The Allstate Foundation
• Launch Spotlight presented by Walton Family Foundation
• Beats & BBQ Social
• Crossover Day Mixer presented by Imaginable Futures

Don’t Miss Out On SXSW EDU 2026

Register and book your hotel today to break new ground in education through compelling sessions, in-depth workshops, mentorship, film screenings, trailblazing competitions, a dynamic expo, networking opportunities, and so much more at SXSW EDU from March 9-12, 2026.

Be the first to know of any information leading up to the event through Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and our newsletter.

SXSW EDU 2026 Speaker photos (left to right in order of appearance): Aisha Bowe, Alma Cooper, Aneesh Sohoni, Frances Messano, Ted Mitchell, Timothy Knowles