[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":393},["ShallowReactive",2],{"navigation-docs_en":3,"/en/blog/universities-opendesk-microsoft-365-dmk-review-autumn-2026-posts_en":51,"/en/blog/universities-opendesk-microsoft-365-dmk-review-autumn-2026-surround-posts_en":382},[4],{"title":5,"path":6,"stem":7,"children":8,"page":25},"En","/en","en",[9],{"title":10,"path":11,"stem":12,"children":13,"page":25},"Docs","/en/docs","en/1.docs",[14,26],{"title":15,"path":16,"stem":17,"children":18,"icon":25},"Getting Started","/en/docs/getting-started","en/1.docs/1.getting-started/1.index",[19,21],{"title":20,"path":16,"stem":17,"children":-1},"Introduction",{"title":22,"path":23,"stem":24,"children":-1},"Migration Roadmap","/en/docs/getting-started/migration-fahrplan","en/1.docs/1.getting-started/2.migration-fahrplan",false,{"title":27,"path":28,"stem":29,"children":30,"page":25},"Technologies","/en/docs/technologies","en/1.docs/2.technologies",[31,35,39,43,47],{"title":32,"path":33,"stem":34,"children":-1},"Nextcloud","/en/docs/technologies/nextcloud","en/1.docs/2.technologies/1.nextcloud",{"title":36,"path":37,"stem":38,"children":-1},"Matrix / Element","/en/docs/technologies/matrix","en/1.docs/2.technologies/2.matrix",{"title":40,"path":41,"stem":42,"children":-1},"ONLYOFFICE","/en/docs/technologies/onlyoffice","en/1.docs/2.technologies/3.onlyoffice",{"title":44,"path":45,"stem":46,"children":-1},"Ubuntu Linux","/en/docs/technologies/ubuntu","en/1.docs/2.technologies/4.ubuntu",{"title":48,"path":49,"stem":50,"children":-1},"Keycloak","/en/docs/technologies/keycloak","en/1.docs/2.technologies/5.keycloak",{"id":52,"title":53,"authors":54,"badge":60,"body":62,"date":360,"description":361,"extension":362,"faq":363,"howto":373,"image":374,"meta":376,"navigation":377,"path":378,"seo":379,"stem":380,"__hash__":381},"posts_en/en/3.blog/29.universities-opendesk-microsoft-365-dmk-review-autumn-2026.md","Open Source at Universities – What They Do and What You Can Use",[55],{"name":56,"to":57,"avatar":58},"Michael Wolf","/en/about",{"src":59},"/michael.webp",{"label":61},"Open Source",{"type":63,"value":64,"toc":348},"minimark",[65,69,73,78,153,156,160,189,192,196,199,219,223,249,253,256,282,286,289,293,320,334,338,341],[66,67,53],"h1",{"id":68},"open-source-at-universities-what-they-do-and-what-you-can-use",[70,71,72],"p",{},"Universities have been pioneers of open source for many years. Many computing centres run their own services for files, chat, video lectures and learning platforms – often with open software. That shows how well open source works for many thousands of people at once. And there are a few nice ideas you can take away for yourself.",[74,75,77],"h2",{"id":76},"what-universities-typically-use","What universities typically use",[79,80,81,94],"table",{},[82,83,84],"thead",{},[85,86,87,91],"tr",{},[88,89,90],"th",{},"Task",[88,92,93],{},"Commonly used open-source solution",[95,96,97,105,113,121,129,137,145],"tbody",{},[85,98,99,103],{},[100,101,102],"td",{},"Files and sharing",[100,104,32],{},[85,106,107,110],{},[100,108,109],{},"Chat",[100,111,112],{},"Element (Matrix)",[85,114,115,118],{},[100,116,117],{},"Video lectures and meetings",[100,119,120],{},"BigBlueButton, Jitsi",[85,122,123,126],{},[100,124,125],{},"Learning platform",[100,127,128],{},"Moodle, ILIAS",[85,130,131,134],{},[100,132,133],{},"Office in the browser",[100,135,136],{},"Collabora, ONLYOFFICE",[85,138,139,142],{},[100,140,141],{},"Software projects",[100,143,144],{},"GitLab",[85,146,147,150],{},[100,148,149],{},"Single login",[100,151,152],{},"Keycloak, Shibboleth",[70,154,155],{},"Many universities cooperate and share services across state or national borders. On top of that, Matrix servers at different universities can talk to each other – making collaboration across institutions really easy.",[74,157,159],{"id":158},"why-open-source-suits-universities-so-well","Why open source suits universities so well",[161,162,163,171,177,183],"ul",{},[164,165,166,170],"li",{},[167,168,169],"strong",{},"Research and teaching:"," Open code fits well with the idea of sharing knowledge.",[164,172,173,176],{},[167,174,175],{},"Lots of users:"," No per-person licence – a big advantage with tens of thousands of students.",[164,178,179,182],{},[167,180,181],{},"Customisable:"," Computing centres can adapt the software to their needs.",[164,184,185,188],{},[167,186,187],{},"Collaboration:"," Improvements often flow back into the projects and help everyone.",[70,190,191],{},"openDesk, the office suite built from open-source building blocks, is also being discussed with interest in the university world.",[74,193,195],{"id":194},"what-you-can-take-away","What you can take away",[70,197,198],{},"The same tools are available to you too:",[161,200,201,207,213],{},[164,202,203,206],{},[167,204,205],{},"Students and study groups:"," A shared Nextcloud for notes, a Matrix room for coordination.",[164,208,209,212],{},[167,210,211],{},"Families:"," Photos, documents and calendars in one place, on a server you know.",[164,214,215,218],{},[167,216,217],{},"Small businesses:"," The same combination of files, chat and office that works thousands of times over at universities.",[74,220,222],{"id":221},"a-few-terms-briefly-explained","A few terms, briefly explained",[161,224,225,231,237,243],{},[164,226,227,230],{},[167,228,229],{},"University computing centre:"," A university's central IT department that runs services for students and staff.",[164,232,233,236],{},[167,234,235],{},"Federation:"," Different servers or organisations working together, for example for chat via Matrix or for logins across universities.",[164,238,239,242],{},[167,240,241],{},"Single sign-on:"," One login for many services.",[164,244,245,248],{},[167,246,247],{},"Learning platform:"," Software for providing courses, materials and assignments, such as Moodle or ILIAS.",[74,250,252],{"id":251},"what-works-well-and-what-we-can-learn-from-it","What works well – and what we can learn from it",[70,254,255],{},"Universities show what open source can do at scale:",[161,257,258,264,270,276],{},[164,259,260,263],{},[167,261,262],{},"Collaboration across boundaries:"," Many services are shared or developed jointly by several universities. That saves effort and spreads knowledge.",[164,265,266,269],{},[167,267,268],{},"Lots of users, little licence stress:"," When thousands of new students arrive at the start of term, no extra licences need to be bought.",[164,271,272,275],{},[167,273,274],{},"Adapting to their own needs:"," Computing centres can add features and contribute improvements back to the projects.",[164,277,278,281],{},[167,279,280],{},"Good documentation:"," Many universities publish guides that others benefit from too.",[74,283,285],{"id":284},"an-example-for-a-study-group","An example for a study group",[70,287,288],{},"Four students share a small Nextcloud with a European provider. Notes, reading lists and problem sheets live in a shared folder, appointments in the shared calendar. For quick coordination there's a Matrix room. Costs and effort are low, and everyone knows where their data is.",[74,290,292],{"id":291},"how-to-get-started","How to get started",[294,295,296,302,308,314],"ol",{},[164,297,298,301],{},[167,299,300],{},"Pick one building block:"," For example Nextcloud for files.",[164,303,304,307],{},[167,305,306],{},"Try it out:"," With a European provider or on a small server of your own.",[164,309,310,313],{},[167,311,312],{},"Invite friends or your team:"," It's more fun together.",[164,315,316,319],{},[167,317,318],{},"Expand:"," Add chat, calendar and office bit by bit.",[70,321,322,323,328,329,333],{},"If you'd rather be shown the basics at a relaxed pace, have a look at my ",[324,325,327],"a",{"href":326},"/en/training","workshops",". You'll find an overview of more tools under ",[324,330,332],{"href":331},"/en/alternativen","Alternatives",".",[74,335,337],{"id":336},"conclusion","Conclusion",[70,339,340],{},"Universities show every day that open source works reliably at scale. The good news for you: what works for tens of thousands of students works for your family, your study group or your small office too.",[70,342,343,344,333],{},"If you'd like to give it a try, I'm happy to help – ",[324,345,347],{"href":346},"/en/contact","just drop me a line",{"title":349,"searchDepth":350,"depth":350,"links":351},"",2,[352,353,354,355,356,357,358,359],{"id":76,"depth":350,"text":77},{"id":158,"depth":350,"text":159},{"id":194,"depth":350,"text":195},{"id":221,"depth":350,"text":222},{"id":251,"depth":350,"text":252},{"id":284,"depth":350,"text":285},{"id":291,"depth":350,"text":292},{"id":336,"depth":350,"text":337},"2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z","Many universities run their own cloud, chat and learning platforms with open source. An overview and ideas for your own everyday life.","md",[364,367,370],{"q":365,"a":366},"Which open-source services do universities typically use?","Common ones are Nextcloud-based cloud storage, Matrix servers for chat, BigBlueButton for video lectures, Moodle or ILIAS as learning platforms and GitLab for software projects.",{"q":368,"a":369},"What is openDesk, and does it play a role at universities?","openDesk is an office suite made of open-source building blocks, maintained by the German Centre for Digital Sovereignty of Public Administration. Whether and how it will be used at universities is currently being discussed in various places.",{"q":371,"a":372},"Can I use the same tools as a student or private person?","Yes. All the programs mentioned are freely available. Many are also offered as hosted services by European providers, or you can run them on a small server of your own.",null,{"src":375},"/img/blog/photo-1454165804606-c3d57bc86b40.webp",{},true,"/en/blog/universities-opendesk-microsoft-365-dmk-review-autumn-2026",{"title":53,"description":361},"en/3.blog/29.universities-opendesk-microsoft-365-dmk-review-autumn-2026","hCjfbin00RmWdDSfGvJPW91MWM4qXBYOaaTKIzolGp0",[383,388],{"title":384,"path":385,"stem":386,"description":387,"children":-1},"Cloud and AI in Law Firms – What Matters for Professional Secrecy","/en/blog/microsoft-365-copilot-law-firms-tax-advisors-professional-secrecy-2026","en/3.blog/28.microsoft-365-copilot-law-firms-tax-advisors-professional-secrecy-2026","Law firms and tax offices handle especially confidential data. What matters when using cloud and AI, and how open source can help.",{"title":389,"path":390,"stem":391,"description":392,"children":-1},"Matrix on the Rise – Why More and More Organisations Use It","/en/blog/eu-commission-matrix","en/3.blog/3.eu-commission-matrix","From healthcare to public administration: the open messaging standard Matrix keeps growing. Here's what that means for small businesses.",1792720367293]