The Open edX community is embarking on an exciting democratic journey. We’re calling on our global community to elect three new members to the Technical Oversight Committee (TOC), the core advisory body that guides the strategic direction of the Open edX project.
What is the TOC?
The Technical Oversight Committee serves as the governing body for the Open edX project, making key decisions about platform development, community standards, and strategic priorities. The three newly elected community representatives will work alongside existing TOC members from Axim Collaborative, 2U, WGU, and NSDC to ensure the community’s voice is heard at the highest levels of project governance.
Three Ways to Represent the Community
We’re seeking representatives across three distinct categories to ensure broad community representation:
Operator & Core Community Representative
Elected by the project’s Core Contributors and Maintainers, this representative will advocate for the technical community and those who operate Open edX instances.
Instructor Representative
Elected by all individuals producing or running active courses on the Open edX platform, this role ensures educators’ voices guide platform development.
User/Learner Representative
Elected by everyone using the Open edX platform in any capacity, this position represents the end-user perspective in all its forms.
Ready to Make Your Mark?
Become a Candidate
Think you have what it takes to shape the future of the Open edX platform? We encourage applications from diverse backgrounds. The TOC isn’t exclusively technical; we welcome product managers, marketing experts, documentation writers, UX/UI practitioners, and more.
To run for TOC, you must be an Open edX Core Contributor. Not a core contributor yet? You have until September 15th, 2025, to apply for the Core Contributor Program (the review process takes about two weeks).
Candidate Applications Include:
- Your vision and goals for the 2025 term (under 40 words)
- Detailed description of your planned projects and initiatives
- Relevant experience and skills
- Time commitment estimate
- Professional headshot and brief title
Nominate or Endorse
Even if you’re not running, you can still shape the election. Core contributors and maintainers can nominate candidates or endorse existing nominations. Anyone can suggest potential candidates to ensure we don’t miss valuable community voices.
Important Dates to Remember
- August 29th: Nominations and voting registration open
- September 15th: Deadline for core contributor applications
- September 29th: Nominations and voting registration close
- October 9th: Voting opens, candidates announced
- October 30th: Voting closes
- November 13th: Results announced
- January 1st, 2026: New terms begin
Why Your Participation Matters
This election represents more than choosing representatives—it’s about democratizing the future of open-source education technology. The decisions made by the TOC will influence how millions of learners worldwide access and experience education through the Open edX platform.
Whether you’re an instructor creating courses, a developer contributing code, a learner accessing content, or an administrator managing platforms, your voice deserves to be heard in shaping the platform’s evolution.
Spread the Word
Help us ensure every eligible voter knows about this opportunity. If you know instructors, users, learners, or anyone involved with the Open edX platform, please share this announcement and encourage their participation.
Get Involved
Ready to participate? Visit our community forum to review the detailed election charter, submit your candidacy, nominate qualified community members, or register to vote.
The strength of the Open edX platform lies in its community. This election is your opportunity to directly influence the platform that’s democratizing education worldwide.
Questions? Contact us at info@openedx.org
