Reaffirming Higher Education’s Public Purpose

About the 2025 Annual Meeting

Higher education never stands still. Colleges and universities undergo continuous transformation in support of student success. Educational innovations develop in response to changing societal and workforce needs and an increasingly global context. Knowledge and discovery progress inexorably. To sustain this dynamism and advance the educational and democratic purposes of higher education, leaders at all levels must contend successfully with a variety of challenges—often unforeseeable, often daunting. Today, these challenges are mounting rapidly: Unprecedented government overreach and political interference. An upsurge in student and donor activism. Declining public confidence. The uncertain future of democracy. The growing influence of artificial intelligence. A student mental health crisis.

The 2025 Annual Meeting is designed to help higher education leaders navigate these complex challenges while continuing to innovate and maintain focus on higher education as a public good. Join colleagues from institutions of every type and size, leading experts and thinkers, policymakers and philanthropists for in-depth conversations focused on issues of pressing concern for you, your institution, your students, and your communities. Draw strength from a global network of peers committed to equity and excellence in liberal education. Learn about what’s working at other institutions, across the country and around the world, and share what’s happening at your institution. Discover successful models of partnership and collaboration across departments and divisions, institutions and sectors. Find the resources, support, and inspiration you need to move higher education forward in challenging times.