Read time: 5 minutes
Brendan Hunt shares OES’s experience at InstructureCon 2025, highlighting our US higher education expansion, the strong reception of EzExtend, and how AI is reshaping learning as a collaborative “teammate.”
Top Takeaways
- OES deepened relationships in the US higher education market through in-person networking.
- EzExtend generated high interest as a scalable, LMS-integrated solution for assignment extensions.
- AI in higher education is shifting towards collaborative “teammate” models.
- Instructure’s IgniteAI shows bold potential but faces adoption challenges.
- Conferences like InstructureCon accelerate partnerships and product visibility.
US Higher Education, AI in Learning, and EzExtend
OES’s presence at InstructureCon 2025 in Spokane, Washington marked a major milestone in our expansion into the US higher education market.
Representing OES, I joined Annie Phalen, who delivers our learning solutions to US partners, to engage with more than 3,000 educators, administrators, and EdTech conference attendees from across the globe.
Learning through immersion in the US higher education market
Spending time embedded in the market offered lessons I simply could not have absorbed from Australia. While the US system shares some similarities, there are important differences in university policy and funding structures, decision-making processes, and student demographics.
At InstructureCon 2025, my view of AI in higher education evolved. It is not just a tool but a metaphorical “teammate” that surfaces insights, reduces administrative load, and creates more room for human connection.
Instead of replacing educators, AI acts as a student success assistant: identifying learners at risk, prompting tailored lessons, delivering them, and tracking outcomes, all while keeping educators in control. This perspective aligns with our work at OES, where we integrate AI into solutions such as ContactEd and our student support chatbot, Alvie.
Why EzExtend solves scalability challenges for US colleges
Unsurprisingly, EzExtend, our fully Canvas LMS integration for automating assignment extensions, was the star of our booth. The level of interest confirmed the demand for scalable, efficient, and compliant extension processes in the US.
My colleague Annie summed it up perfectly when she told me, “We’ve had so many people say EzExtend feels like it was designed specifically for their challenges, especially in community colleges where every administrative step matters. That’s the kind of feedback that tells us we’re solving the right problems.”
One audience that stood out was community colleges. Learning about their size, operational complexity, and budget constraints has informed how we might adapt EzExtend for flexible, cost-effective deployment to meet their needs.
Instructure’s IgniteAI and the future of AI in higher education
A major theme from InstructureCon was the unveiling of IgniteAI, an agentic AI architecture embedded in the Canvas learning management system and other products. Delivered in partnership with OpenAI, IgniteAI promises context-aware, integrated automation across hundreds of APIs.
Why in-person presence accelerates partnerships
As OES formally launches our learning solutions in the American market, events like PartnerCon and InstructureCon have proven critical for forging partnerships.
They offer rare opportunities to meet decision-makers in a relaxed but highly engaged environment, enabling conversations that move relationships forward far faster than remote interactions can.
I still remember Annie leaning over after a conversation and saying:
“InstructureCon is one of the few events where you can have a conversation in the morning about high-level strategy with a university president, and in the afternoon get hands-on feedback from a faculty member using Canvas in the classroom”.
Those insights are gold for OES.
Standout moments and connections
Highlights included engaging with leaders from the University of Michigan and UC Berkeley, and learning from student success experts representing some of the most influential universities in the world.
Final thoughts: OES’s US momentum
InstructureCon 2025 was more than a conference. It was a catalyst for OES’s US growth strategy.
By engaging directly with the US higher education ecosystem, demonstrating innovative tools like EzExtend, and aligning with industry leaders in AI such as OpenAI and Instructure, we are strengthening our role as a global education solutions partner.
OES belongs in this market. With the right focus, partnerships, and product positioning, we can help our US higher education partners thrive in the years ahead.
FAQs: OES, InstructureCon, and AI in Education
What is InstructureCon?
InstructureCon is the annual global conference hosted by Instructure, the company behind Canvas LMS. It brings together educators, administrators, and EdTech innovators to explore teaching, learning, and technology trends.
How is OES expanding into the US higher education market?
OES is building partnerships with universities, community colleges, and EdTech leaders, launching products like EzExtend and deepening presence through our US-based growth and partnerships team.
What is EzExtend and how does it integrate with Canvas LMS?
EzExtend is an assignment extension automation tool that integrates directly with Canvas LMS to streamline extension approvals, reduce manual admin, and maintain compliance.
What are the benefits of AI in higher education?
When applied thoughtfully, AI in higher education enhances student support, automates repetitive admin, and enables educators to focus more on teaching and personalised learning.
