# Code Ownership at Fordham University > Source: https://ibl.ai/case-study/fordham-university ## Case Study How Fordham University owns the full source code of its AI platform — with ibl.ai handling the hosting and operations so the university can focus on what matters: teaching, research, and student success. Fordham University holds the complete ibl.ai source code under a perpetual license. ibl.ai manages the day-to-day hosting, infrastructure, and operations — but Fordham can fork, inspect, extend, or migrate the platform at any time. No lock-in. No black boxes. ### Quick Stats - **100%** Code ownership - **Any LLM** Model flexibility - **Managed** Hosting by ibl.ai - **Zero** Vendor lock-in --- ## The Model ### Own the code. Let ibl.ai run it. **Full source code** — Fordham receives the complete ibl.ai codebase with a perpetual license. The university can audit, extend, or fork it at any time — it's their software. **Managed hosting** — ibl.ai handles deployment, scaling, monitoring, and updates — so Fordham's team stays focused on academic priorities instead of infrastructure operations. **Exit freedom** — If Fordham ever decides to self-host, they take the code and go. No exit fees, no data export projects, no renegotiation. The code is already theirs. --- ## Own vs. Rent ### The best of both worlds Most universities face a false choice: build it yourself (expensive, slow) or rent a SaaS (no ownership, no control). Fordham chose a third path — own the code while ibl.ai handles the operations. #### Typical SaaS AI - Vendor owns the code — you rent access - No visibility into how the platform works - Locked into vendor's LLM and roadmap - Exit means losing everything you built - Per-seat pricing scales against you - Customization limited to what vendor allows #### ibl.ai at Fordham - Fordham owns the full source code - Complete transparency — audit any line - Connect any LLM, swap anytime - Leave and take everything with you - Flat-rate pricing for unlimited users - Unlimited customization — it's your code **Build vs. Buy resolved:** Fordham didn't have to choose between building from scratch or renting a black-box SaaS. With ibl.ai, they got production-ready AI in weeks with full source code — the speed of buying with the ownership of building. [Read more](/build-vs-buy) --- ## Platform ### ibl.ai on Fordham's website Fordham's AI mentors are embedded directly on the university's website — prospective students and visitors interact with AI agents that are branded, context-aware, and deeply integrated into the Fordham experience. **Website-Embedded Agents** — AI mentors live on fordham.edu — visitors and prospective students get instant, context-aware help without leaving the university's site. **Custom Branding** — The experience matches Fordham's visual identity and voice. Not a vendor widget — an integrated part of the university's digital presence. **LLM Flexibility** — Choose the right model for each use case. Switch providers as pricing and capabilities evolve — no vendor lock-in on the model layer. --- ## Cost Savings ### Flat-rate pricing that scales with you Per-seat SaaS pricing punishes growth. With ibl.ai, Fordham pays a flat rate regardless of how many students, faculty, or visitors use the platform. Costs stay predictable as usage grows. [Calculate your exact savings](/llm-price-calculator) --- ## For University Leadership ### Strategic ownership without operational burden Code ownership and managed hosting are not mutually exclusive. Fordham gets the strategic benefits of owning its AI platform without diverting IT resources to run it. **Own it today, self-host it tomorrow** — Fordham can migrate to its own infrastructure at any time. The perpetual license means the code is theirs whether or not they continue working with ibl.ai. **Audit and extend without permission** — Fordham's technical team can review, modify, and extend the platform at any time. No support tickets to request features that should already be yours. **No vendor dependency** — If ibl.ai changes direction, raises prices, or disappears — Fordham keeps the complete source code, data, and everything built on the platform. The university is never stranded. **Operational focus stays on academics** — By letting ibl.ai manage hosting, Fordham's IT team avoids the operational overhead of running AI infrastructure — while retaining full strategic control over the platform. --- ## Get Started Get the full source code with a perpetual license — and let ibl.ai handle the hosting so your team can focus on what matters. [Try ibl.ai](/contact) | [Calculate your savings](/llm-price-calculator)