Bringing Theory to Practice

The Bringing Theory to Practice Project (BTtoP) encourages colleges and universities to reassert their core purposes as educational institutions, not only to advance learning and discovery, but to advance the potential and well-being of each individual student, and to advance education as a public good that sustains a civic society.

The Project supports campus-based initiatives that demonstrate how uses of engaged forms of learning that actively involve students both within and beyond the classroom directly contribute to their cognitive, emotional, and civic development.

Synopsis

For a comprehensive overview of the evolution of the Project since 2002-2003, please see the Synopsis of the Development of the Bringing Theory to Practice Project (PDF).

What's New

The now available Civic Provocations monograph is composed of informal essays and provocations that support and deepen inclusive and intentional campus-based consideration of an institution’s own civic mission and the civic mission of higher education today. It is the first in a series of monographs that will raise questions and provide perspectives on fundamental issues about the civic mission of higher education. The full monograph is available here (pdf). 

The 2012-2014 RFP is now online. Proposals are requested for projects that will promote engaged learning, civic development and engagement, and psychosocial well-being of college and university students. We are especially interested in efforts that will enable students to have transformational educational experiences, and for institutions to transform and sustain their priorities and practices. More information

2nd National Bridging Conference "Bridging Institutional Divides: Practical Applications for Strengthening Campus Cultures for Learning, Civic Engagement and Psychosocial Well-being" addressed patterns of campus divide and dissonance that restrain the full expression of higher education’s core purposes and offered practical strategies for maximizing campus resources to more directly connect mission to action and to strengthen campus cultures for engaged learning, civic development and psychosocial well-being of students. More information

The Bringing Theory to Practice Project is sponsored by the Charles Engelhard Foundation of New York City and the S. Engelhard Center and developed in partnership with the Association of American Colleges and Universities. More information on funders.