On Thursday 3 December 2026, from 5 pm to 8 pm, LMDDC invites you to Belval for a rather special evening of exploration: EdTech SpeedDating with Open Source Alternatives. Admission is free, with registration required.

Remember that gang of teenagers who set off on their bikes, walkie-talkies in their pockets and flashlights in hand, to explore what was hiding just beside their everyday lives? That is exactly the spirit of this 7th workshop. Except here, the territory to discover is open source educational software.

Sooner or later, every school, university and training centre faces the same question: which digital tools will best support our learners?

Why explore open source?

Proprietary solutions have proven their worth in education and play an important role in our institutions. But right next to this familiar world lies a whole universe that is still little known: open source alternatives.

These tools have matured a lot in recent years. They bring strengths that deserve a real place in the discussion:

• Data sovereignty: fine control over where learners' data is hosted and how it is used.
• Transparency: open code that anyone can consult and check.
• Flexibility: tools you can adapt to your specific teaching needs.
• Community: solutions built together by educators and developers.
• Complementarity: tools that can fit into an existing digital ecosystem.

The idea is not to pit two approaches against each other, but to broaden the range of possibilities. Knowing the alternatives better means making better-informed choices.

The concept: test, compare, discover

No long presentations here. Speed dating is all about getting straight to the point.

Software to try out for yourself. Throughout the evening, stands let you get hands-on with open source EdTech software, in short, practical sessions. You form your own opinion and see how these tools can complement the ones you already use.

Conversations with the creators. At some stands, the companies that develop these solutions will be there to answer your questions and share their experience.

A QR-code hunt. For a playful touch, a QR-code hunt guides you from one stand to the next, like an expedition into the unknown. A great way to discover each solution without missing any.

Who is it for?

Everyone. Whether you are curious about digital learning, a teaching or training professional, or simply passionate about the subject, the event is open to all. No technical knowledge is needed, just a desire to explore.

Practical information

EdTech SpeedDating with Open Source Alternatives

• Date: Thursday the 3rd December 2026
• Time: 5pm - 8pm
• Venue: LMDDC Office
• Price: Free, registration required

So, ready to hop on your bikes and set off exploring? Register now to join the explorers' team.