American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U)

AAC&U's VALUE Rubric Calibration Training combines authentic scoring practice, expert feedback, and practical strategies for using AAC&U's VALUE rubrics to benefit students. Register: aacu.org/value-calibration-training

Strong VE/COIL experiences can start in a single course. How do you expand that impact? Build the case, identify structures for growth, and develop a strategy in AAC&U’s next VE/COIL Clinic, beginning November 30. https://bit.ly/46W21oS

How can colleges and universities prepare for the days after Election Day? AAC&U's Nancy Thomas shares her insights in this @insidehighered.com op-ed. https://bit.ly/3UeE1KZ

Attending #AACUAI in Atlanta? Pick up a free reusable water bottle at registration! Through a partnership with Fill it Forward, scan the bottle's QR code with each reuse to support charitable initiatives and help reduce plastic waste. Details: https://fillitforward.com/academic/

What if global learning started in year one? Consider how VE/COIL can support belonging and engagement while helping students build communication, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership skills. Register: https://bit.ly/4dOM4EF

Lead through change with hope and resilience. Join AAC&U for a free webinar on October 26 at 2:00 p.m. ET to explore ways to strengthen campus communities and create conditions where people thrive. https://bit.ly/4dHFP5F

AAC&U’s Institute for Democracy & Higher Education and the Sustained Dialogue Institute combined forces to help educators navigate chilling, threatening, uncertain, and politicized pressure in their teaching, research, and work on campuses. Contact us for free confidential support. aacu.org/helpdesk

Design assignments that more intentionally connect what you want students to learn with how you teach and assess that learning. Explore an intentional process using AAC&U’s VALUE rubrics as design tools. November 6 | Online https://bit.ly/3VBaj32 #AACUVALUE

Unprepared. AI-dependent. Disengaged. The labels come easily. But what do today’s college students say about their own lives? Hear their hopes and fears as they come of age in an uncertain world. https://bit.ly/4dP5v0h #LibEdMag

What if affordability and student success could be advanced through the same evidence-based practice? AAC&U’s recent report makes the case for OER as a high-impact practice. aacu.org/oer-report

At a time when public confidence in higher education is being tested, institutions have an opportunity to demonstrate what higher education makes possible. Hear from AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella, then make a gift to support AAC&U’s work. Gifts will be matched while funds remain. aacu.org/give

Strong institutions begin with people. Join AAC&U on October 26 at 2 p.m. ET for a free webinar exploring how hope-centered leadership can support students, faculty, and staff. https://bit.ly/4dHFP5F

Join us in Washington, DC, for the 2026 AAC&U Conference on Global Learning to examine emerging challenges, share effective practices, and explore new approaches to global learning. aacu.org/global #AACUGlobal

Can’t make it to Atlanta? The AAC&U Conference on AI and Higher Education features nearly 100 online sessions! Join us online to explore emerging practices and institutional strategies that can inform responsible, coordinated approaches to AI. aacu.org/aiconference #AACUAI

“What we do collectively to support immigrant, international, and refugee students, graduates, staff, and faculty will strengthen not only higher education but also workforce development, economic prosperity, and America’s global competitiveness.” https://bit.ly/4BxKKk7 #LibEdMag

With insights from AAC&U’s Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education team and guest experts, APT Words explores how colleges and universities can rebuild relationships with communities, restore public trust, and demonstrate the value of higher education. Subscribe at aptwords.substack.com.

“It was an opportunity to reflect on the responsibility that comes with being part of a community dedicated to advancing the common good.” Congratulations to AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella on her induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences! https://bit.ly/4ecyriT

AAC&U and Campus Compact have co-published a free, open-access toolkit to support community-engaged learning. Explore practical strategies, adaptable teaching resources, and companion videos: aacu.org/engaging-community

Hope can be a leadership strategy. Join Mary Dana Hinton, @drjessicariddell.bsky.social, @annmarie-cano.bsky.social, and Lynn Pasquerella for a free AAC&U webinar on October 26 at 2 p.m. ET. https://bit.ly/4dHFP5F

AAC&U’s Kathryn Enke joined the Anniversary of the Magna Charta Universitatum event in Lithuania to share how political attacks on US higher education have been enabled by eroding public trust and how AAC&U’s report, “The Trust Agenda,” can help institutions respond. https://bit.ly/4ducSdr

The opening plenary session for the 2026 AAC&U Conference on AI and Higher Education will feature senior higher education leaders and current students discussing how AI is impacting teaching, learning, and life after graduation. aacu.org/aiconference #AACUAI

Starting today, gifts to AAC&U are matched dollar for dollar by Mindstream up to $30,000. Your gift supports the research, tools, and convenings that 1,000+ colleges and universities rely on to strengthen undergraduate education. Give by GivingTuesday and double your impact. aacu.org/give

Investigate what actually supports student learning at the AAC&U and APA “Connecting AI Questions to AI Evidence: Research Approaches to Teaching and Learning” online workshop series: aacu.org/ai-evidence

Student success is central to public trust. In "The Trust Agenda," AAC&U calls on institutions to recommit to inclusive excellence to ensure all learners have the support they need to thrive. Interested in reading more? aacu.org/the-trust-agenda

Congratulations to AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella on being inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences! The Academy recognizes accomplished individuals and engages them in addressing the greatest challenges facing the nation and world. https://bit.ly/4ecyriT

How are you advancing democratic engagement in higher education? Contribute your ideas, best practices, and actionable plans to the Higher Education Democracy Exchange (HEDEX). Join a community committed to preparing students for civic life. https://bit.ly/4jeEWFf

The #AACUGlobal virtual opening plenary discussion highlighted the importance of advancing global citizenship at the local and global levels, prioritizing ethical responsibilities, and intercultural exchange as a way of knowing oneself. What were your takeaways?

“Intercultural dialogue, global learning, is not about learning about the other. It is about learning about the self.” — Kalyani Unkule, professor of international affairs and global initiatives at O.P. Jindal Global University #AACUGlobal

“Global citizenship education must move beyond the knowledge and skills—important as they are—to cultivate ethical consciousness, critical reflection, and responsibility toward others and our shared planet.” — Emiliano Bosio, director of the Global Citizenship Education Interview Series #AACUGlobal

Turn commitment into action. The AAC&U Advancing Public Trust Leadership Institute gives campus teams the framework, mentoring, and support to build lasting strategies for strengthening public trust. aacu.org/apt-institute

What does it take to build internal trust within colleges and universities? Join AAC&U’s Jeremy Young and other higher education professionals on October 14 for a free webinar exploring how trust is built (or lost) through the campus experience. https://bit.ly/4yEHEc4

What do students value in college beyond getting a good job? Explore new nationwide research on students' motivations, priorities, and experiences during a free webinar from AAC&U and the LearningWell Coalition. "What Students Value in College" October 14 | 2:00 p.m. ET https://bit.ly/3UUkFLb

Undergraduate research can help prepare students for life after college, strengthen an institution’s relationship with the communities it serves, and build public trust in higher education, says Karen Resendes. Read more on AAC&U’s "APT Words": https://bit.ly/4jaOWzu cc: @curinaction.bsky.social

Jonathan Alger, America 250 Fellow at AAC&U and @aceducation.bsky.social, joins "Built to Deliver" to discuss strategic planning, institutional agility, and how higher education can respond to AI while staying focused on its core values. https://bit.ly/4AWjUSi

As the midterms approach, “Reading Lolita in Tehran” author Azar Nafisi has a warning for Americans: Pay attention when governments fear books and ideas. Drawing on Iran’s experience, she makes the case for a powerful form of resistance: reading. https://bit.ly/4hJ4O9Q #LibEdMag #BannedBooksWeek

The companion videos for “Engaging Community” feature scholars, practitioners, and community partners sharing practical insights that complement the free toolkit and bring its principles to life. Learn more: aacu.org/engaging-community

Design assignments that more intentionally connect what you want students to learn with how you teach and assess that learning. Explore an intentional process using AAC&U’s VALUE rubrics as design tools. November 6 | Online https://bit.ly/3VBaj32 #AACUVALUE

Connection, disagreement, reflection, misunderstanding: each can create opportunities for learning. Learn how to design virtual exchange that supports meaningful communication and collaboration. Register: https://bit.ly/4xC10gC

AAC&U's Kathryn Enke recently joined Richard Roman on the "Fault Lines" podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about public trust in higher education. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3W9n8BM

Big ideas could lead to big opportunities. America’s Startup is inviting US undergraduate students to submit their startup ideas for a chance to compete for a share of more than $1 million in prizes. Applications close 10/8. Learn more: https://america250.org/americas-startup/

AAC&U's Jeremy C. Young recently joined the Trending in Ed podcast to speak about "The Trust Agenda," its framework for advancing public trust in higher education, and how colleges and universities can actively cultivate trustworthy relationships across their communities: https://bit.ly/4dsEiQG

Higher education cannot simply tell the public why it matters. It has to show it. “Trust is earned through trustworthiness.” AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella on what it takes to rebuild public trust in higher education: https://bit.ly/4rG3OI3 #LibEdMag

Recent research findings from AAC&U make the case for open educational resource implementation as a high-impact practice. aacu.org/oer-report

Congratulations to the 2026 Delphi Award recipients!

Trust is built through relationships, actions, and a commitment to serving students and communities. Read AAC&U’s “The Trust Agenda:” aacu.org/the-trust-agenda

The K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award honors graduate students advancing equity, innovative teaching and learning, and community engagement. Nominate someone by October 2. https://bit.ly/4mjjygB

AAC&U's VALUE Rubric Calibration Training is a self-paced online workshop that helps you evaluate student work with greater confidence and consistency. Register by October 1 and save: aacu.org/value-calibration-training

The decline of confidence in higher ed may tell us more about trust than previously understood. AAC&U + Morning Consult polling found virtually no difference between how adults respond when asked about confidence versus trust. AAC&U's Kathryn Enke digs into what that means: https://bit.ly/4ADQ1Gb

Colleges and universities can advance public trust by telling a clearer story about their impact. Developed by Metropolitan Group and Spitfire Strategies, this free narrative framework can help institutions communicate effectively and consistently. https://bit.ly/4guAGQp

The virtual 2026 AAC&U Conference on Global Learning begins in two weeks. There’s still time to register for the virtual component and to join us in Washington, DC, in November. aacu.org/global #AACUGlobal