Two Decades of Sakai at UdL: Reflections, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

It’s been a long time since I last wrote an article, but the recent gathering with fellow members of the Spanish Sakai community inspired me to share a few thoughts on our years of using Sakai at the University of Lleida (UdL) and its future.

Two Decades of Sakai at UdL: A Commitment to Innovation

Since September 13, 2004, the University of Lleida (UdL) has maintained a strong relationship with the Sakai platform. Over the past 20 years, UdL has focused on advancing ICT support for teaching and learning. From its initial launch with an early version of Sakai (1.0rc2), the platform has been a key tool in meeting the university’s educational needs. UdL chose Sakai to replace WebCT, opting for an open-source solution that aligned with its commitment to free software at the time.

In the early years, UdL played an active role in developing Sakai. A notable contribution was the internationalization of the platform, making it easy to translate without modifying the source code. This effort helped make Sakai accessible to non-English-speaking users and allowed other universities to adopt it in their own languages. Although UdL's direct contributions have decreased, the university remains involved through joint efforts with the S2U (Spanish Sakai Users) group. Recent improvements include integrations with Microsoft Teams and the M365 suite, supported by European funding through the Unidigital project.

Despite many universities opting for other platforms, both open-source and commercial, Sakai has always held its ground, offering comparable features without disadvantages. It has provided UdL with a solid and effective virtual learning environment over the years.

S2U and the Future of Sakai: Collaboration and Commitment

At the S2U meeting in Murcia on February 27-28, 2025, members reflected on Sakai's present and future. Initially, there were concerns about the lack of updates at the last Sakai Virtual Conference and the perception that the platform was reaching its end. However, S2U reaffirmed its commitment to working together to improve the situation.

Although alternative platforms may seem more popular, they also face significant criticism. Many universities struggle with pay-per-feature pricing models, limited customization options, and reduced capabilities compared to Sakai.

Collaboration within S2U has always been strong, built on trust and teamwork. This partnership has helped overcome challenges in the past, such as the release of Sakai version 11. The S2U group—made up of universities like UdL, UM, UPNA, and UPV, along with support from the company EdF (Entornos de Formación)—continues to work together to ensure the platform's success.

The Strength of the Sakai Community and the Path Forward

One of Sakai’s greatest strengths is its community-driven model, which allows users to directly influence its development. No other platform offers this level of participation.

Over the years, different universities and companies have joined and left the Sakai community, shaping its leadership and direction. However, external narratives have often suggested that Sakai is on the decline. These messages, frequently spread by competitors looking to attract new customers, have impacted Sakai’s adoption. That’s why it's crucial to promote Sakai as a viable and evolving platform, countering misconceptions and demonstrating its long-term potential. Important initiatives have emerged from the Sakai community along this journey, and they must continue to be promoted.

To move forward, universities using Sakai must approach this challenge as they have in the past—by increasing efforts to shift perceptions and strengthen the international community. Looking ahead, S2U is ready to take on a greater role in supporting the international community. We offer our collaboration in quality assurance (QA) for Sakai version 25 and propose to contribute more actively to the platform’s evolution by sharing our vision on the roadmap with the broader Sakai community. Our goal is to work together, strengthening ties between institutions and ensuring that Sakai continues to be a relevant and competitive option for universities worldwide.