Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education

Projects and Events

APT Coalition

AAC&U coordinates a cross-sector coalition seeking to improve public trust in higher education. Employing the five conditions of collective impact (common agenda, shared metrics, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and strong backbone), the coalition

  • promotes a shared understanding of the drivers of public trust in higher
    education;
  • enables meaningful collaboration within and beyond the sector;
  • deepens community and student engagement; and
  • encourages institutional innovation in developing and implementing
    trustworthy practices.

Coalition members include leaders in higher education organizations, advocacy groups, business/civil society organizations, and experts in public trust in higher education. Members make a 1-year commitment to participate.

Volunteer to join the coalition

APT Leadership Institute

AAC&U offers an annual six-month team-based APT Leadership Institute to engage leaders and educators at a diverse range of campuses in active work on the recommendations in The Trust Agenda. The leadership institute fosters collaboration across the higher education ecosystem to make the value of college real for everyone, even for those who may not attend.

Registration will open soon.

Share your interest in the APT Leadership Institute

Join Us on Substack

Through APT Words, APT initiative staff share ideas about how to address declining public trust in colleges and universities, interviews with and guest posts by practitioners and experts, responses to news about trust, and resources for implementing The Trust Agenda's recommendations.

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Upcoming Events

  1. , 2026

    4:00 pm EDT

    Introducing The Trust Agenda: A Framework for Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education

  2. - , 2026

    College Park, Maryland

    Council on Undergraduate Research’s ConnectUR Conference

  3. , 2026

    12:00 pm EDT

    Presentation to AltLiberalArts

  4. , 2026

    5:00 pm EDT

    Virtual Presidential Roundtable

    Hosted by AAC&U and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences

  5. , 2026

    5:00 pm EDT

    Virtual Presidential Roundtable

    Hosted by AAC&U and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences

  6. , 2026

    5:00 pm EDT

    Virtual Presidential Roundtable

    Hosted by AAC&U and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Share Your Story

The APT Team regularly features case studies of trust in action on campus via Substack. Share your success in advancing public trust.