The education landscape is undergoing a dynamic shift, driven by new learning models, rapid technological advancements, and changing student needs. At the heart of this transformation is the EDUCAUSE community, an essential forum bringing together educators, IT professionals, and technology providers. All focused on one single goal – confronting challenges, sparking innovation, and shaping the future of learning.
The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025 remains a cornerstone for education-focused critical conversations. This year, the conference is all set to roll out in Nashville, scheduled from October 27–30 as an in-person event, followed by an online session on November 12–13. Following our successes in 2022 and 2023, team CloudLabs is all set to participate in EDUCAUSE 2025! Find us at Booth #1222 and explore the future of virtual lab infrastructure with CloudLabs.
Key Event Details
Connecting at #EDU25
The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025 is an ideal venue to broaden horizons and expand one’s network. Below, we have listed out all the ways for you to explore and connect with a community of higher ed technology professionals at EDUCAUSE.
- Braindate
- Community Group Meetings
- Conference Venue Tour
- EDUCAUSE Commons
- EDUCAUSE Commons Reception
- Young and Early Career Professionals Experience
- Executive Leaders Experience
- Executive Leaders Lounge
- Young Professionals Hub
Program Tracks to Watch Out For in 2025
Professionals and technology enthusiasts from all over the globe come together at the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference to share ideas, network, grow professionally, and discover solutions to today’s challenges. Here is a list of a range of diverse program tracks that participants can follow while participating in the event:
- Cultivating Change through Inspiration, Generosity, and Trust
- Cybersecurity, Privacy, Accessibility, Risk, and Compliance
- Enterprise, Strategy, Data, Infrastructure, and Support
- Future of Work: Professional Development and Skills Enhancement
- Higher Education Landscape, Enrollment, and New Models
- Institutional Innovation, Technological Advancements, and Challenges
- Leadership, Organizational Change, and Adaptation
- Research Computing
- Student Experience
- Teaching and Learning
Take a look at the Nashville Schedule At-a-Glance
Learn more about the Conference Agenda.
CloudLabs @ EDUCAUSE 2025
150+ leading educational institutions worldwide trust CloudLabs for advanced technology learning and unique course requirements. Our ready-to-deploy hands-on labs are secure, scalable, and accessible over the web, eliminating infrastructure headaches and enabling students and faculty to focus more on exploration, experimentation, and innovation. Additionally, built-in cost controls, multi-cloud compatibility for individual labs, Power BI-backed reports, and smart administrative tools provide comprehensive support at every step of the learning process. Continue with the reading task to learn more about CloudLabs capabilities.
- Choose Among 200+ Ready-to-Deploy Labs: Build, deploy, and share AI, Cybersecurity, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Data Science & your custom lab courses at scale, in minutes.
- Create your Own Lab: Build custom labs with multi-VM topologies, assessments, leaderboards, and detailed reports. Nonpersistent lab options, HTTPS VM access, and a real-time instructor view.
- Save up to 80% on Lab Costs: Only pay for active lab environments, as CloudLabs follows a pay-as-you-go pricing model. Furthermore, our built-in smart controls, such as auto lab shutdown, idle lab detection and shutdown, and fixed start/stop/pause lab schedules, as well as instructors’ visibility into students’ cloud spend through timely notifications, make it all easy.
- Be in Control While you Teach: Utilize our in-built leaderboard view and smart shadow VM capability to maintain a close watch on students’ whereabouts. Track their progress over comprehensive assessments available with each lab.
CloudLabs AI Agents
Now, you can get more with our CloudLabs AI agents.
Get AI in a Box: Utilize CloudLabs AI Agents to design your own labs, manage environments, create exercises, and more, with tailored guidance to streamline resource customization and fast-forward overall setup speed.
CloudLabs VM Labs: Microsoft-recommended Alternative to Azure Lab Services
Start fresh or migrate existing labs to CloudLabs VM Labs. Discover all the familiar features you loved about Azure Lab Services, and we have added more. Experience faster lab setup, real-time instructor view, bring your own Azure account facility, and transparent cost controls.
Advanced In-Lab Settings
- Multi-VM Support: A single lab can hold up to 5 VMs simultaneously with their own unique configurations. Useful for specific scenarios, such as domain controllers, application servers, clients, etc.
- Flexible Lab Types: Experience reduced costs with fresh VMs per relaunch, as our platform supports both persistent and non-persistent labs.
- Custom VM SKUs: Define precise combinations of CPU, memory, GPU, and disk type/size for tailored performance and cost.
- Editable Labs: Modify the lab name, expiry, and user quota even after creating them.
- Quick Registration & Access Controls: Admins can manage lab capacity and user access directly. Users join via simple registration codes.
- Expiry Management & Lifecycle Tracking: Set explicit lab expiry dates for better lifecycle management. Filter and track labs by status (Active, Expired, Deleted).
- Flexible Templates: Update the VM image or SKU even after the lab is created.
Smart Controls
- Flexible Identities: Users can log in with Azure AD, Microsoft, Google, or their LinkedIn IDs.
- On-Demand Deployment: Labs are deployed on demand, on the lab users’ request, replacing the “VM Pool” with “Lab Instances,” facilitating better cost management. All management features are retained on the Lab Instances page.
- Seamless Password Management: Lab creators can configure and generate unique, random passwords for each user and share directly.
- Advanced Scheduling & Granular User Sync: Multiple schedule types for access, VM provisioning, and lifecycle. Sync users from Azure AD with fine control via administrative units.
- Comprehensive Logging: Detailed activity and usage logs at VM and global levels, ensuring complete flexibility and control on the admin’s front.
Cost Optimization
- Detailed Cost Reports: Power BI dashboards, showcasing user-specific credit insights, ensure end-to-end monitoring of deployed and non-deployed resources.
- Global Idle Timeout: Enforce idle timeout settings universally for cost optimization and greater output.
- VM Uptime Limits: Restrict total VM access hours, even during events, and only pay for what you use.
Learn more why CloudLabs VM Labs stand out as the most feature-rich Azure Lab Services Alternative in 2025?
Claim Your $2K Azure Credit Today: Plan Your Migration Now!
CloudLabs is offering $2K Azure Credits to eligible customers, applicable to VM Labs usage, allowing organizations to get started immediately with no upfront costs.
- Organizations transitioning from Azure Lab Services can always bring their own subscription or use ours, without interrupting their current workflow.
- Get enterprise-ready from day one. Zero feature gating, no demo/ trial limitations. You can start immediately after successfully migrating your existing labs.
Wrapping Up
As the higher education sector continues to change, events like EDUCAUSE 2025 offer a valuable opportunity to pause, reflect, and grow together. Whether you’re joining in person in Nashville or tuning in online, this year’s conference promises meaningful conversations, future-ready insights, and the chance to connect with a global community that’s shaping the next chapter of education.
CloudLabs is excited to be part of this journey, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Harshal Charde is an accomplished Principal Cloud Solution Architect at Spektra Systems, with extensive expertise in Microsoft Technologies, Hyper-V, Cloud Computing, and Virtualization. His proficiency in these areas allows him to design and implement cutting-edge solutions for clients, driving business growth and innovation.
