That is exactly what occurred at the 6th Annual NET+ ServiceNow Higher Ed Summit. Community members asked, while other community members answered.
“The Higher Ed Summit and Birds of a Feather sessions ended up being the most valuable part of the entire Knowledge conference for me,” said Steve Funk, IT Director at Utah State University. “The opportunity to connect with peers in higher education, have honest conversations, and hear how other institutions are approaching similar challenges was incredibly meaningful.”
Held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) just ahead of the broader Knowledge26 conference, the 6th annual NET+ ServiceNow Higher Ed Summit brought together 41 technology professionals across 33 research and education institutions for a day of practical, peer-driven exchange — the kind that doesn’t happen in a general conference session.
Higher education IT professionals actively engaged at UNLV, the NET+ ServiceNow Higher Ed Summit venue.
What You Might Have Missed
The summit sessions highlighted how rapidly the research and education community is advancing its use of ServiceNow from foundational Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) into a true enterprise-wide platform.
Discussions delved deep into real-world applications, offering valuable insights for both executive decision-makers and platform administrators.
Quyen Vaillant, NET+ Program Manager (left), with Lynn Heide and Steve Velner, Client Relationship Manager and Vice President of Higher Education at ServiceNow.
In addition, technical tracks highlighted how embedded automation and AI are shortening platform upgrade cycles, helping overstretched teams deliver enhancements more efficiently and reduce challenges for students, faculty, and staff.
The subsequent Birds of a Feather (BoF) sessions provided a dedicated, candid environment for platform administrators and service owners to dissect local governance models, share technical implementation pathways, and discuss how to navigate organizational change management within institutional structures.
Strengthening Our Shared Ecosystem and the NET+ Value
The modes of engagement and variety of talks at the NET+ ServiceNow Higher Ed Summit are no accident. They are intentionally designed as community-sharing opportunities to underscore the value and transformation that occur when everyone in the room is working through the same institutional challenges.
In turn, NET+ ServiceNow gains a comprehensive view of consolidated feedback from the research and education sector. This collaborative relationship allows technology providers to align their platform features with institutional compliance, accessibility, and operational needs, driving deeper software adoption and maximizing the return on investment for every participating institution.
The consensus from this year’s summit was clear: one annual event isn’t enough. The appetite for continuous, year-round engagement is there.
The community to support it is there, too.
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