The Post-Pandemic Future of Higher Education: A Convening of American Academy Affiliates

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences invited leaders from its network of Affiliate Institutions to a candid, forward-looking discussion about how lessons learned from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic might inform the future of higher education. The program included: 

• A presentation from Richard Arum (University of California, Irvine) on insights from his Next Generation Success Measurement project which collects data on undergraduate student behavior.

• A panel discussion featuring university leaders Ana Mari Cauce (University of Washington), Robert Jones (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), and Christina Paxson (Brown University), who will share insights from their own experiences throughout the pandemic and their vision for the future.

• Small group conversations in breakout rooms where colleagues can connect about their own hopes and concerns for their campus communities.

The American Academy’s Affiliate institutions collaborate with the Academy by participating in its studies and helping support its efforts to advance the common good. The Academy and the members of its Affiliates Program share a commitment to the vitality of higher education and the value of research.