Public Sector, Education & Research

Melbourne, Australia – September 13, 2026 -- UNSW Sydney has selected D2L Brightspace as its new institution-wide learning platform, a multi-year deal set to reach more than 80,000 learners and thousands of educators.

UNSW ranks #19 globally in the 2027 QS World University Rankings and taps D2L for full-scale digital overhaul

UNSW, Australia's top-ranked university and a member of the Group of Eight, will deploy D2L Brightspace as the foundation of a redesigned digital learning environment covering both on-campus and flexible learning pathways.

Rollout bundles four D2L products, including AI tools Lumi Chat, Lumi Tutor and Lumi Feedback

The deployment spans D2L Brightspace, the Creator+ content tool with more than 50 H5P interactive content types, the Lumi suite of AI-driven tutoring and feedback tools, and the Performance+ analytics dashboard for tracking learner engagement and retention.

Lincoln, Nebraska – September 13, 2026 -- Nelnet Government Services said its ADA Web Accessibility Consulting services are now listed on Civic Marketplace, letting state and local agencies procure compliance work without issuing a new request for proposal ahead of Department of Justice deadlines set for April 2027 and April 2028.

Cooperative contract removes the RFP bottleneck for public agencies

Nelnet's services were awarded through the Alliance for Innovation (AFI) cooperative purchasing program, meaning they have already been competitively solicited under public procurement rules. Listing on Civic Marketplace lets eligible cities, counties, school districts, and other public agencies access Nelnet's pre-negotiated pricing directly, cutting a process that typically consumes about a year down to an immediate purchase.

Lakeland – September 12, 2026 -- The Detroit Tigers and Florida Polytechnic University are launching a partnership that embeds a university faculty member directly inside a Major League Baseball performance science unit, aiming to convert academic data research into operational decisions on player health and injury prevention.

Ashland, Ohio – September 12, 2026 -- Ashland University and nonprofit Ed3 have launched a statewide partnership to deliver pedagogy-first AI literacy courses to K-12 educators across Ohio, aiming to reach thousands of teachers when the program goes live in June 2026.

Ashland University pairs district network with Ed3's AI training model

The collaboration combines Ashland University's existing relationships with Ohio school districts and education service centers with Ed3's pedagogy-first AI professional learning framework. Courses will be offered for graduate credit and continuing education units (CEUs), with stackable credential pathways for educators building qualifications over time.

Benghazi – -- The University of Benghazi reopened all faculties and facilities on September 12, 2026, ending more than eleven years of closure caused by damage sustained during the Libyan Armed Forces' war against terrorist groups. The reconstruction was carried out by the Libyan Development and Reconstruction Fund, led by Director General Engineer Belqasim Khalifa Haftar, who personally oversaw the project.

Fund rebuilds entire university city in three years

The integrated campus reconstruction covered the Faculties of Engineering, Arts, Law, Science and Languages, plus the central library, academic and administrative buildings, laboratories, student residences, service facilities, infrastructure and internal roads. The University of Benghazi, known as the 'Mother of Libyan Universities,' serves nearly 100,000 students and has operated as a free-education institution producing generations of scientists, academics and officials.

Springfield, Ill. – September 12, 2026 -- The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) has launched a partnership with nonprofit Ed3 to deliver AI literacy courses and stackable micro-credentials to K-12 educators statewide, starting September 8, 2026. The move follows the Illinois State Board of Education's July 9, 2026 release of comprehensive AI guidance for PreK-12 schools, which left districts needing a path to classroom implementation.

UIS pairs 25 years of eLearning infrastructure with Ed3's track record across 48 states

Through its Center for Academic and Professional Education (CAPE) and ION eLearning program, UIS brings more than 25 years of experience in online teaching, leadership, accessibility, and open educational resources training. Ed3, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has supported over 20,000 educator enrollments across 48 states, totaling more than 900,000 hours of professional development.

London – September 12, 2026 -- Delegates from more than 60 nations opened the second edition of the World Fire Congress (WFC) in London on Sept. 8, 2026, convening fire and emergency service leaders, government officials, industry representatives, and academics for a two-day program aimed at coordinating global fire and life safety strategy.

UK's National Fire Chiefs Council hosts second global fire safety summit

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) serves as official host of the London Congress, with the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs) -- a section of the National Fire Protection Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs -- acting as the WFC Secretariat. Phil Garrigan, Chair of the NFCC, said the scale, complexity and pace of challenges facing fire and rescue services worldwide is growing, making cross-border collaboration essential.

Hong Kong – September 12, 2026 -- Domestic philanthropic giving across participating Asian jurisdictions reached US$109 billion in 2024 and could exceed US$1 trillion within the next decade, according to an Interim Report launched at the Philanthropy for Better Cities (PBC) 2026 forum in Hong Kong.

The report, produced by the Commission on Asian Philanthropy and co-convened by the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) and the Asian Philanthropy Congress, marks the first comprehensive study of the scale and structure of philanthropic ecosystems across the region. It identifies everyday individual giving, corporate contributions and public investment as the primary drivers, positioning philanthropic capital as a strategic lever for national development.

Bethesda, Md. – September 12, 2026 -- EPS Learning has secured SOC 2 Type II attestation for its EPS Connect platform following an independent audit by SC&H Attest Services, P.C., providing school and district partners formal assurance over student data protections.

Independent auditor validates security controls over a sustained period

The SOC 2 Type II review, based on the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria for security, examined the design and operating effectiveness of EPS Learning's controls over time rather than at a single point. Auditors assessed policies, procedures, risk management, incident response, disaster recovery processes, and information and communication systems tied to EPS Connect.

Englewood, Colo. – September 12, 2026 -- Stefano S. McGhee, a Massachusetts technology executive who most recently served as Senior Director of Technology Operations for Harvard Business Publishing, has been elected to the Board of Directors of Toastmasters International, taking on a one-year term following the organization's 2026 International Convention in Vancouver, held Aug. 19-22.

McGhee brings enterprise IT leadership experience to a 245,000-member global network

At Harvard Business Publishing, McGhee led a team of cloud engineers, architects, integration engineers and help desk technicians responsible for the availability and stability of critical applications, including Harvard Business Review. Toastmasters International, headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, operates more than 14,000 clubs in nearly 150 countries.