The HETMA Roadshow in Mechelen, Belgium, was more than another industry gathering. It was a reminder that higher education AV is not a niche conversation anymore… It is indeed a global one. The needs may look different from country to country, campus to campus, culture to culture, and institution to institution, but the core challenge is the same: how do we create better learning environments, better support models, and better technology strategies for the people we serve? And, most importantly, how do we create industry alliances that help move that mission forward?
That was one of my biggest takeaways from Mechelen. The EU market needs this and is ready for this. The market needs spaces where higher ed AV professionals, manufacturers, consultants, integrators, and campus leaders can sit together and talk honestly about what is working, what is not working, and what still needs to change.
As many are aware, HETMA and Higher Ed AV have been active in the European market for the past six years, two as ISE media partners, two as org partners, and two with a booth on the show floor. (P.s., next ISE will be the biggest yet, with our InfoComm experience being brought there!) But, the biggest challenge has been breaking through the cultural, language, and business practices difference. North America is where HETMA and Higher Ed AV came out of, and we found the “secret sauce” for success, but needed to find how that translates to the EU. The Mechelen Roadshow did just that.
Beyond being one of the best roadshows yet, it showed that the template works and is needed. The EU market is ready for collaboration and opportunities to bring our people together. The team at Thomas More University did an incredible job tailoring the “HETMA template” to what their people need. And we saw the understanding and desire shift as the two days went on. It moved from a “what is this, exactly” to “when’s the next one, and how can we help?”
There is a growing understanding over the past few years post-pandemic that higher ed AV isn’t simply about installing cool tech and designing classrooms (while it is indeed that), it’s about enabling teaching, learning, research, collaboration, accessibility, and connection. That shift in understanding matters. For years, our work has often been viewed through the lens of infrastructure and support. Important, yes, but incomplete. What I saw in Mechelen was a broader recognition that AV is strategic. It is part of the student experience. It is part of institutional success. It is part of how universities deliver on their mission. Thomas More and the other participating schools from the region truly get that. They approach AV design from a truly pedagogical and student-impact lens first-and-foremost. What might have been missing was how to link the business and networking aspect between the technology and institutional effectiveness. The Mechelen Roadshow accomplished just that.
That change in understanding was encouraging. You could feel it in the conversations. People were not just asking, “What equipment should we use?” They were asking deeper questions. How do we support hybrid learning in a way that actually works? How do we design spaces that are flexible without becoming overly complicated? How do we make systems sustainable, scalable, and supportable? How do we give faculty confidence instead of complexity? How do we build trust between campuses and the companies that serve them? Those are the conversations that are so important I know many of us can learn form that.
Those are the right questions. They are also not easy questions. That is why conversations like the ones we had in Mechelen matter so much.
As a North American outsider who loves European culture, architecture, and history, the setting itself added something special to the experience. Mechelen is a beautiful city, full of character, history, and charm. Oh, and 538 steps to the top of the tower is no joke! There is something meaningful about walking through a place that feels both deeply rooted and fully alive, then stepping into conversations about the future of education technology. That contrast was not lost on me. We were surrounded by history while discussing what comes next. It gave the entire roadshow a sense of perspective.
The live gathering at The Chapel, captured that perfectly. It was not just a venue. It felt like a place built for reflection, conversation, and community. Add in the energy of the people, the warmth of the hospitality, and even the live jazz in the room, and it became more than an event. It became an experience. It reminded me that the best professional gatherings do not just transfer information, they create memory. It was at that exact moment you could feel the energy of the attendees flip a switch. The got it. They understood what a HETMA Roadshow was and could be. It was the exact moment that I knew the market proved ready.
Another major takeaway for me was the value of differing opinions. We talk a lot about community, but real community is not everyone agreeing all the time. Real community is having enough trust to disagree, enough humility to listen, and enough shared purpose to keep the conversation moving forward. That happened in Mechelen.
People brought different perspectives. Different institutional realities. Different market experiences. Different expectations for what higher education technology should look like. And that was a good thing. We need more of that. Progress does not come from everyone repeating the same talking points. It comes from honest dialogue. It comes from hearing something that challenges your assumptions. It comes from asking better questions because someone else sees the problem differently than you do. And what was wonderful was that there were no limits on the conversations. They could flow with a rue desire to understand and share, whether it was about a classroom device, a political stance, a favorite beer, or how to design a classroom. Respect of differing opinions is rooted in their DNA. The United States could definitely learn something from that.
That is where HETMA has always had something unique to offer (at least we hoped so). We’ve never tried to create a space where one voice dominates the conversation. We tru to create a space where the right people can come together and shape the future of the vertical collectively, regardless of your outside stances on various issues. Care for the vertical is the only requirement. The Mechelen Roadshow showed that this model works beyond borders. The needs of the higher education AV community are not limited to one region. The desire for connection, clarity, and collaboration is everywhere. I felt that… deeply.
What I left Mechelen with was a renewed sense of momentum. The market is ready. The community is ready for major expansion with conversations already happening for the next couple EU Roadshows. And perhaps most importantly, people are willing to sit at the same table, share what they know, challenge one another respectfully, and build something better together. That is the real takeaway.
In conclusion, the biggest takeaway for me was what we discovered while we were there. We discovered that the need is real. We discovered that the conversations are growing, desired, and needed. We discovered that beauty, hospitality, and shared purpose can create the perfect environment for meaningful dialogue. And we discovered that when people are willing to show up with both conviction and openness, the future of higher education AV gets a little clearer.
For me, Mechelen was a reminder that this work matters. The market needs it. The people are ready for it. And HETMA has an important role to play in helping bring those conversations to life.
