By
Kenneth Lewis - Communications Specialist
Understanding the Unconferences at the 2026 Internet2 Technology Exchange and Which One is Right for You
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Ready? Set. Go! The facilitator yells, and you race to scribble down as many burning questions and topics as you can brainstorm.
You have five minutes.
- IPv6: Actions that actually move the needle
- Combatting ghost students and financial aid fraud
- A panel unpacking Advanced Networking mistakes featuring network engineers
- Useful AI tools in Identity Access Management
The list of queries goes on and on. You have carried these wonderings for months, but lacked the opportunity and the brain space to take a deep dive. Not to mention, you have not been in a room teeming with highly engaged peers who could offer you potential solutions in seconds. Until now.
This is one of the joys of an unconference at the 2026 Internet2 Technology Exchange, Oct. 26-30 in Minneapolis, Minn.: an experience where you become a co-planner in the day’s agenda, where you and your peers chart a day full of talks, panels, and demos, creating a program wholly relevant to all in attendance.
What is an Unconference?
Unlike a traditional conference session, an unconference is a dynamic format in which attendees take the driver’s seat and guide the day’s discussion topics. There is no set agenda; you help create it on the spot. Bringing real problems and pursuing real solutions, attendees unpack their most pressing challenges, explore trends and critical developments in research and education (R&E), and witness demos of emerging technologies through voted-on topics.
These discussions make real-time problem-solving optimal, helping attendees become sharper, more strategic, and better prepared to tackle the many scenarios of the day-to-day.
Designed to increase peer learning among practitioners and experts, an unconference maximizes your potential for networking and allows you to explore topics you had hoped for, wanted to expound on, or topics the general program might have missed.
Two Unconferences at TechEX26: Which Should I Attend?
This year’s TechEX program features two unconference experiences: Advance CAMP (ACAMP) for those interested in the Identity and Access Management track, and Peer-to-Peer for those interested in the Advanced Networking track.
Not sure which one’s for you? Here’s the breakdown:
Peer-to-Peer: The Advanced Networking Unconference
9 sessions total
Advanced Networking
Topics You Might Pitch
(But the options are limitless)
- What it takes for a network project to graduate from passion project to production
- AI for operations and re-architecting the network to support AI/ML workloads
- Source of truth vs. reality: Understanding who owns network information and how to keep the model and network in sync
- Segmentation, security, and telemetry on an open research network
Who Should Be in the Room:
Those who operate, design, build, automate, or secure the networks at your institutions. This includes:
- Network engineers and architects
- Network automation, platform, and DevOps engineers
- Security and infrastructure professionals
- Research-computing / HPC networking staff
- Cloud architects
Length of Time
(Half-day) Thursday, Oct. 29, 12:10 – 6:30 p.m. CT
Kick-off/Agenda Setting
During lunch – Thursday, Oct. 29 12:10 p.m. CT
Closing Event
The unconference wraps with a community report-out, each group sharing what they learned and what it means for those in R&E. The day concludes with an evening reception to celebrate the ideas that surfaced and the peers you met along the way.
Post Unconference Learning
There will be scribes present in every room to capture the learning, which you can access long after TechEX26. This also allows you to “peek in” on a session you might have missed!
Advance Camp (ACAMP)
40 sessions total
Identity & Access Management
Topics You Might Pitch
(But the options are limitless)
- Integrating commercial and open source IAM
- OpenID Federation and its outlook
- Non-human identities, their ownership, and governance
- Securing your eduroam deployment and understanding eduroam Baseline Expectations
Who Should Be in the Room:
Those who shape IAM strategy, build and operate identity services, or influence the future direction of your institution’s identity program. This includes:
- AM architects, engineers, developers, and administrators/li>
- Technology leaders and decision-makers (CIOs, CTOs, VPs, directors)
- Application, systems, and integration specialists
- Identity, security, and infrastructure professionals
- Federation and eduroam operators
Length of Time
(1.5 days) Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 a.m. -Friday, Oct. 30 at 11:50 a.m. CT
Kick-off/Agenda Setting
Thursday, Oct. 29,8-8:50 a.m. CT -Friday, Oct. 30, 8:30-9 a.m. CT
Closing Event
ACAMP concludes with a closing ceremony, bringing the community back together to reflect on the ideas explored, challenges tackled, and insights gained over the course of two days. Participants also take the time to celebrate the relationships and sense of community built along the way. A longstanding tradition of gratitude gives attendees the chance to recognize those who made their week richer and more meaningful, because we know we learn best when we learn together. (And yes… chocolate is involved.)
Post Unconference Learning
There will be scribes present in every room to capture the learning, which you can access long after TechEX26. This also allows you to “peek in” on a session you might have missed!
How Best to Prepare for My Unconference at TechEX26
Because the agenda is fueled by real scenarios and active participation, come prepared with real challenges, topics that pique your curiosity, and demos and solutions to share. Because the agenda is fueled by real scenarios and active participation, come prepared with real challenges, topics that pique your curiosity, and demos and solutions to share.
Here are four ways to mine those challenges and show up as an active contributor to the day’s event:
- Prior to your arrival at TechEX26, survey your team for the challenges you have not been able to solve alone. Peers with similar concerns will be in the room with you.
- Use this opportunity to bring the topic you would like to see at TechEX26. Browse the full program and create a wish list of missing topics.
- Take note of your hallway conversations to identify recurring themes or topics that warrant a larger forum and would benefit the community.
- Bookmark a session you attended at TechEX26 featuring a topic you want to discuss in further detail. Deep dives into featured topics are welcome, too!
Begin your week at TechEX26 in traditional conference fashion and end it with an unconventional, high-energy opportunity to compound your learning. Become an active participant and leave nothing on the table, while placing your priorities and major hurdles in the front seat.
That’s the kind of return that makes an unconference one of the most efficient ways to stretch a professional development budget. Conversations go deep fast, and a few hours of real-time collaboration now can save your team months of trial and error later.
Unconferences are included with your TechEX26 registration, and no separate sign-up is required. Plan your travel to stay through your unconference of choice. Questions? Contact us at meetingregistration@internet2.edu.
About the Author(s)
Kenneth Lewis is a Communications Specialist at Internet2 with diverse experiences in educational contexts and environments. With a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Teaching, Kenneth's focus is increasing the engagement, relevancy, and retention of large, diverse audiences by creating copy and messaging that communicates the intrinsic and extrinsic value of programs, experiences, and educational products.