Event organiser STEP CONNECT2 is partnering with EBDOG, the national body representing Local Authority building officers across England and Wales, for its upcoming October event Education Estates.

STEP CONNECT2 and EBDOG (Educational Building and Development Officers Group), are forming the partnership with the goal of bringing Multi-Academy Trusts and Local Authorities closer together on the planning, management and improvement of the school estate.

The partnership is built around shared knowledge and best practice across both sectors, joint programmes and dedicated event space, and a unified voice on school estate policy when engaging with the Department for Education.

Education Estates 2026, taking place at Manchester Central on 20-21 October, will be the first public platform for the partnership. The event brings together policymakers, estates professionals, designers and suppliers across a conference, exhibition and awards ceremony.

Rob Thomas, chair of EBDOG, said: “EBDOG members have always believed that the best outcomes for school buildings come from collaboration, not competition. This partnership gives us the platform to finally have that conversation together and at scale.”

James Lee, CEO of STEP CONNECT2, said: “Education Estates exists to connect the people who shape our learning environments. Partnering with EBDOG means we can go further than we ever have, bringing MATs and LAs into the same room, with real intent. That’s a genuinely exciting moment for the sector.”

Full details and registration are at available here.