Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 29, 2026

Horizon Project

The Horizon Project is an initiative by EDUCAUSE to chart emerging technologies and trends impacting the future of higher education across domains such as teaching and learning and information security. Drawing on insights from a global panel of leaders from across the higher education landscape, the objective of each Horizon Report is to shape decision-making among higher education professionals by helping them imagine a range of possible futures and think through the present-day implications of those futures. The Horizon Project was launched in 2002 by Laurence F. Johnson, CEO of New Media Consortium (NMC), and since the 2018 edition has been published by EDUCAUSE.

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The Horizon Project (or Horizon Report) is an initiative by EDUCAUSE to chart emerging technologies and trends impacting the future of higher education across domains such as teaching and learning and information security. Drawing on insights from a global panel of leaders from across the higher education landscape, the objective of each Horizon Report is to shape decision-making among higher education professionals by helping them imagine a range of possible futures and think through the present-day implications of those futures.1 The Horizon Project was launched in 2002 by Laurence F. Johnson, CEO of New Media Consortium (NMC), and since the 2018 edition has been published by EDUCAUSE.2

NMC Horizon Project History

Starting in 2005, the NMC-published Horizon reports were collaboratively developed by co-authors Johnson and Rachel S. Smith. In 2006, Alan Levine joined the production team, and Keene Haywood joined in 2010. In 2011, Samantha Adams succeeded Smith as the project's lead researcher and writer. In 2011, Horizon Report downloads surpassed the 500,000 mark and worldwide readership approached a million people. A brand new museum edition was released in October 20103 to the museum community, along with reports for K-12 education4 and for Australia - New Zealand.5 The NMC Horizon Project expanded to Latin America in that year, when for the first time, a Horizon research cycle was conducted completely in Spanish. The 2010 Horizon Report: Edicion Iberoamericana6 was released in July 2010.

EDUCAUSE Horizon Report

Since EDUCAUSE's acquisition of NMC in 2018,7 the Horizon Report has been published by EDUCAUSE and continues to be a highly regarded and widely read resource for technology, IT, and higher education professionals. Starting with the 2020 Teaching & Learning Edition of the report, the EDUCAUSE Horizon team has incorporated futures concepts adapted from the Institute for the Future, marking a notable shift in tone away from predicting the future (a perennial area of contention surrounding previous report editions8) to imagining a range of possible scenarios for the future.9 This shift in tone was well-received10 and has been incorporated into subsequent editions of the report.11

Each EDUCAUSE Horizon Report is put together collaboratively by an expert panel consisting of an international group of educational experts that are selected by-invitation-only. Following a modified Delphi method approach, expert panelists are asked to identify, discuss, and vote on the key trends, technologies, and practices they believe are going to shape the future of a particular domain within higher education. The top trends, technologies, and practices identified by the expert panel are then used to craft a set of future scenarios, as well as a set of implications essays authored by a selection of panelists representing diverse contexts and perspectives.

The EDUCAUSE Horizon Reports are part of a larger suite of EDUCAUSE research products intended to help higher education leaders and decision-makers understand what is important in their field and where they should focus in their strategic planning and management.12 Other research products in this suite include the annual Top IT Issues13 reports and the Strategic Technologies and Trend Watch14 reports.

EDUCAUSE Horizon Reports

  • 2025 Horizon Report: Teaching & Learning Edition15
  • 2025 Horizon Action Plan: Supporting Agency, Trust, Transparency, and Involvement16
  • 2025 Horizon Action Plan: Mental Health Supports17
  • 2024 Horizon Action Plan: Unified Data Models18
  • 2024 Horizon Report: Cybersecurity & Privacy Edition19
  • 2024 Horizon Report: Teaching & Learning Edition20
  • 2023 Horizon Action Plan: Data Governance21
  • 2023 Horizon Action Plan: Generative AI22
  • 2023 Horizon Report: Holistic Student Experience Edition23
  • 2023 Horizon Report: Teaching & Learning Edition24
  • 2022 Horizon Action Plan: Hybrid Learning25
  • 2022 Horizon Report: Data & Analytics Edition26
  • 2022 Horizon Report: Teaching & Learning Edition27
  • 2021 Horizon Action Plan: Privacy28
  • 2021 Horizon Report: Teaching & Learning Edition29
  • 2021 Horizon Report: Information Security Edition30
  • 2020 Horizon Report: Teaching & Learning Edition31
  • 2019 Horizon Report32
  • Horizon Report Preview 201933
  • 2018 NMC Horizon Report34
  • NMC Horizon Report Preview 201835
  • Digital Literacy in Higher Education, Part II: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief36
  • 2017 Horizon Report37
  • Horizon Report: K-12 Edition, 2009-201738
  • Horizon Report: Library Edition, 2014-201739
  • Horizon Report: Museum Edition, 2010-201640
  • 2016 Horizon Report41
  • 2015 Horizon Report42
  • Horizon Report Europe: 2014 Schools Edition43
  • 2014 Horizon Report44
  • 2013 Horizon Report45
  • 2012 Horizon Report46
  • 2011 Horizon Report47
  • Horizon Report 2010: Iberoamerican Edition48
  • Horizon Report: Australia-New Zealand Edition, 2008 - 201049
  • 2010 Horizon Report50
  • Horizon Report: 2009 Economic Development Edition51
  • 2009 Horizon Report52
  • 2008 Horizon Report53
  • 2007 Horizon Report54
  • 2006 Horizon Report55
  • 2005 Horizon Report56
References

References

  1. "2020 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report | Teaching and Learning Edition". library.educause.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  2. "2018 NMC Horizon Report". library.educause.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  3. NMC.org
  4. NMC.org
  5. NMC.org
  6. NMC.org
  7. "EDUCAUSE buys bankrupt New Media Consortium". EdScoop. 2018-02-16. Archived from the original on 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  8. Grussendorf, Sonja (April 2018). "A critical assessment of the NMC Horizon reports project". Compass Journal of Learning and Teaching. 11.
  9. "2020 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report | Teaching and Learning Edition". library.educause.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  10. "The 2020 Educause Horizon Report, Teaching and Learning Edition | Inside Higher Ed". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  11. "2021 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report | Information Security Edition". library.educause.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  12. "Top IT Issues, Technologies, and Trends". www.educause.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  13. "2021 Top IT Issues". www.educause.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  14. "2021 Higher Education Trend Watch". www.educause.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  15. Robert, Jenay; Muscanell, Nicole; McCormack, Mark; Pelletier, Kathe; Arnold, Kim; Arbino, Nichole; Young, Keturah; Reeves, Jamie (May 12, 2025). "2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  16. Robert, Jenay (March 24, 2025). "2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Supporting Agency, Trust, Transparency, and Involvement". EDUCAUSE.
  17. Muscanell, Nicole (January 13, 2025). "2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Mental Health Supports". EDUCAUSE.
  18. Robert, Jenay (March 11, 2024). "2024 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Unified Data Models". EDUCAUSE.
  19. Robert, Jenay; Muscanell, Nicole; Arbino, Nichole; McCormack, Mark; Reeves, Jamie (September 30, 2024). "2024 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Cybersecurity and Privacy Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  20. EDUCAUSE Publications (May 13, 2024). "2024 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  21. Robert, Jenay; Reinitz, Betsy (March 6, 2023). "2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Data Governance". EDUCAUSE.
  22. Robert, Jenay; Muscanell, Nicole (September 25, 2023). "2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Generative AI". EDUCAUSE.
  23. EDUCAUSE Publications (October 2, 2023). "2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Holistic Student Experience Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  24. EDUCAUSE Publications (May 8, 2023). "2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  25. Robert, Jenay; Pelletier, Kathe (October 17, 2022). "2022 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Hybrid Learning". EDUCAUSE.
  26. EDUCAUSE Publications (July 18, 2022). "2022 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Data and Analytics Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  27. EDUCAUSE Publications (April 18, 2022). "2022 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  28. McCormack, Mark; Brooks, D. Christopher; Reeves, Jamie (November 19, 2021). "2021 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Privacy". EDUCAUSE.
  29. EDUCAUSE (2021). 2021 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report Teaching and Learning Edition (PDF). Educause.
  30. EDUCAUSE Publications (April 26, 2021). "2021 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  31. EDUCAUSE Publications (March 2, 2020). "2020 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  32. Educause Publications (April 23, 2019). "2019 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  33. New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 19, 2019). "Horizon Report Preview 2019". EDUCAUSE.
  34. New Media Consortium (NMC) (August 16, 2018). "2018 NMC Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  35. New Media Consortium (NMC) (August 15, 2018). "NMC Horizon Report Preview 2018". EDUCAUSE.
  36. New Media Consortium (NMC) (August 22, 2017). "Digital Literacy in Higher Education, Part II: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief". EDUCAUSE.
  37. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 15, 2017). "2017 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  38. New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 11, 2017). "Horizon Report: K-12 Edition, 2009-2017". EDUCAUSE.
  39. New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 8, 2017). "Horizon Report: Library Edition, 2014-2017". EDUCAUSE.
  40. New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 7, 2017). "Horizon Report: Museum Edition, 2010-2016". EDUCAUSE.
  41. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 4, 2016). "2016 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  42. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 11, 2015). "2015 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  43. New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 21, 2014). "Horizon Report Europe: 2014 Schools Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  44. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI; New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 31, 2014). "2014 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  45. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 4, 2013). "2013 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  46. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 3, 2012). "2102 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  47. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (February 8, 2011). "2011 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  48. New Media Consortium (NMC) (October 15, 2010). "Horizon Report 2010: Iberoamerican Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  49. New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 25, 2010). "Horizon Report: Australia-New Zealand Edition, 2008 - 2010". EDUCAUSE.
  50. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 15, 2010). "2010 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  51. New Media Consortium (NMC) (November 15, 2009). "Horizon Report: 2009 Economic Development Edition". EDUCAUSE.
  52. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 20, 2009). "2009 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  53. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 29, 2008). "2008 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  54. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 1, 2007). "2007 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  55. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 1, 2006). "2006 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
  56. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI); New Media Consortium (NMC) (January 1, 2005). "2005 Horizon Report". EDUCAUSE.
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