Blackboard names 2026 Catalyst Award winners across 8 categories

Blackboard has recognized 30 institutions and teams from eight countries with its 2026 Catalyst Awards, honoring work in teaching, accessibility, AI, government training and professional development. Winners will be celebrated at Blackboard’s BbT26 conference in Dallas on July 13-15. Why it matters: - The awards spotlight institutions using Blackboard tools to improve learning outcomes, widen access and strengthen training programs. - The 2026 field was broad and competitive, with 136 submissions from 19 countries. - Blackboard framed the winners as examples of practices that can spread across higher education, government and professional learning. What happened: - Blackboard announced the 2026 Catalyst Award winners on June 17, 2026. - Thirty institutions and teams across eight countries were recognized. - The awards cover eight categories focused on teaching and learning excellence. - Winners and nominees will be honored at Building Blackboard Together, or BbT26, in Dallas, Texas, from July 13-15. The details: - Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness winners were Augusta Technical College, the University of Connecticut and the University of the Cumberlands. - Blackboard Adoption & Engagement winners were National Aviation Academy; Sam Houston State University Online; the University of Tabuk; the University of the West of England Bristol; and Youngstown State University. - Ethical AI Leadership winners were King Faisal University, Lamar University and the University of Phoenix. - Government Learning Transformation winners were Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Campus and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. - Innovation in Accessibility winners were Central Arizona College, Coppin State University, Gordon Institute of Business Science and The University of Law. - Leading Change winners were Boston University, Universidad de Las Américas, Universidad Internacional de Valencia, the University of Pretoria and the University of Reading. - Teaching Excellence winners were Jouf University, The University of Sheffield and Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. - Training & Professional Development winners were Norfolk State University, Odessa College, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Universidad del Pacífico and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. - Submissions were judged on results achieved and whether the work could serve as a best practice for the wider education community. - The winners span higher education, government and professional learning. - Blackboard also cited solutions including Institutional Effectiveness, Ally, Evaluate and its AI-focused LMS in describing the awards program. - More information is available at the Catalyst Awards page . Between the lines: - The category mix shows Blackboard leaning into themes that dominate education strategy right now: accessibility, AI governance, workforce readiness and digital teaching support. - Naming institutions from North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South America suggests the company is positioning the program as global, not U.S.-centric. - The awards also serve as a showcase for Blackboard’s product ecosystem by linking recognition to specific platform capabilities. What’s next: - Blackboard will recognize winners and nominees at BbT26 in Dallas in mid-July. - The full nominee list and category descriptions are available on the company’s awards page. - The announcement tees up more visibility for the featured institutions as they present their work to the broader Blackboard community.