Global Lessons, Local Action: Renewal of the Democratic and Civic Mission of Higher Education

Thursday, January 22, 2026

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: Silver Linden - Mezzanine

Primary Presenter(s)

Rita Hodges

Associate Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

PDF

Co-Presenter(s)

Terry Brown

Vice President
American Association of State Colleges and Universities, United States
Bobbie Laur

President
Campus Compact, United States
Dawn Michele Whitehead

Vice President of Global Citizenship for Campus, Community, and Careers
American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U)
Washington, Maryland, United States

The Global Forum on Higher Education 2025: Renewal of the Democratic and Civic Mission took place in Prague in June 2025. In the months leading up to the forum and those since, the attacks on democracy, academic freedom, and higher education as a public good have accelerated at an alarming rate. This panel will highlight key takeaways and ideas for action from this timely global forum, as presented by leaders from AAC&U, Campus Compact, and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities who play critical roles in the ongoing work of the International Consortium for Higher Education, Civic Responsibility, and Democracy (a lead host of the Forum). Panelists will stimulate discussion among audience members about the relevance of global strategies to advancing higher education’s democratic mission, addressing attacks on academic freedom and institutional autonomy, elevating the role of student voice and agency, leveraging universities as democratic civic anchors, rebuilding trust with local communities and society, and more.