ABOUT HARVARD INSTITUTES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
The Harvard Institutes for Higher Education (HIHE) offers a comprehensive portfolio of professional development programs designed for higher education leaders—from directors, department heads, and deans to vice presidents, provosts, and presidents. At HIHE, leaders come together to speak openly, reflect honestly, and hone leadership skills and strategies with the support of accomplished peers and faculty experts.
BROAD PERSPECTIVES
HIHE participants and faculty bring perspectives from a broad range of institutions, including large research universities, comprehensive regional institutions, small liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and many more. Together, they create a rich, dynamic learning environment.
PRACTICAL, APPLICABLE SKILLS AND STRATEGIES
At HIHE, we focus on building actionable skills and strategies based on research-proven practices. We listen to your needs, challenge your thinking, and help you break through tough challenges to move forward with confidence.
NETWORKS
You’ll connect and build relationships with accomplished peers from across higher education and around the world. Thousands of our alumni have developed and maintained supportive long-term relationships through HIHE.
A LASTING IMPACT
With an extraordinary faculty, participants driven to make a difference, and a more than 50-year history of success, our programs will leave you informed, renewed, and better prepared to lead.
PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP
Our presidential leadership program provides a rare opportunity for college and university presidents and chancellors to prepare for and reflect on their presidencies. The presidential leadership program provides an immersive and engaging learning environment in which you can gain practical insights into current challenges, build plans for future initiatives, and forge meaningful connections with an extraordinary peer group of presidential colleagues.
HARVARD SEMINAR FOR NEW PRESIDENTS (NP)
College and university presidents and chancellors are expected to be productive, articulate, and responsive leaders from the moment they assume office. With an array of external and institutional challenges to address, new presidents do not have the luxury of learning on the job.
The Harvard Seminar for New Presidents provides a practical orientation to the presidency, familiarizing new presidents with the opportunities and hazards they will likely face and preparing them to respond to the multiple responsibilities that await them in their new roles.
OBJECTIVES
• Explore the importance of institutional cultures, traditions, and governance.
• Explore the president’s multiple roles: chief executive officer, senior personnel officer, and academic leader.
• Consider the opportunities and challenges of social media.
• Examine the president’s role in strategic planning.
• Understand the relationship between the president and board of trustees.
• Examine the components of the fundraising process.
• Enhance the effectiveness of your senior team.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
First-time college and university presidents and chancellors who have recently been appointed or are in their first year of office
FACULTY CHAIR
Judith Block McLaughlin | Senior Lecturer, Emerita,
HGSE
MODALITY
On Campus
HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP
The Higher Education Leadership programs offer professional development opportunities for higher education administrators, including directors, department heads, deans, vice presidents, and provosts. These programs enable you to assess and address current and future administrative challenges while renewing and moving forward in your career.
As someone who is underrepresented several times over in higher education, participating in Harvard’s Management Development Program was an empowering experience that will continue to positively impact my career and legacy into the near and far future. The connections I made with participants and presenters are invaluable as resources and as a professional/personal support system.
RITA E. URQUIJO-RUIZ DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL LATINX STUDIES, TRINITY UNIVERSITY
EXECUTIVE CERTIFICATE IN HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP (ECHE)
In higher education institutions around the world, academic and administrative leaders are facing a faster pace of change than ever before. The Executive Certificate in Higher Education Leadership is a distinguished credential designed to foster strategic thinking, innovation, and resilience in the face of evolving institutional challenges.
To earn your credential, complete three programs, including at least one foundational program, over 36 months.
FOUNDATIONAL PROGRAMS
• Harvard Seminar for New Presidents
• Institute for Educational Management
• Institute for Management and Leadership in Education
• Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians
• LGBTQIA+ Leadership in Higher Education
• Management Development Program
• Women in Higher Education Leadership
ORGANIZATIONAL PROGRAMS
• Crisis Leadership in Higher Education
• Higher Education Finance for Academic Leaders
• Institutional Research and Data Leadership in Higher Education
• Leadership in Strategic Enrollment Management
• Mental Health in Higher Education: A Theory-to-Practice Approach for Student Well-Being
FACULTY CHAIR
Francesca Purcell | Faculty Co-Chair, Online Master's in Education; Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE
The overall caliber and dedication of the faculty were remarkable and often inspiring. Their deep focus on the study of the intersection of leadership and higher ed made many of the lessons particularly relevant.
AARON BOBICK, DEAN OF ENGINEERING, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT (IEM)
This intensive, highly immersive experience prepares senior leaders in higher education to address the most pressing challenges they face, including setting strategic directions and getting buy-ins from key stakeholders, competing successfully in a dynamic marketplace, optimizing the impact of financial and human resources, embracing emerging technologies, and creating an empowering and inclusive community on campus.
OBJECTIVES
• Articulate leadership challenges and explore how to advance your mission.
• Gain insight into balancing internal and external leadership roles and working more effectively as a member of the senior leadership team.
• Learn to lead in creating a community and culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Develop the capacity to drive innovation, improvement, and change.
• Deepen your understanding of the components of institutional success.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Higher education leaders directly reporting to the president including::
• Provosts
• Vice presidents
• Deans and senior-level administrators with decision-making responsibilities that impact the institution
FACU LTY CO-CHAIRS
James Honan | Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE
Richard Reddick | Senior Vice Provost for Curriculum and Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate Studies, The University of Texas at Austin; Adjunct Faculty in Professional Education, HGSE
MODALITY On Campus
INSTITUTE FOR MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION (MLE)
Change is an inevitable part of today’s complex higher education landscape, yet effective change management remains a challenge. The Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE) offers experienced administrators the opportunity to develop core knowledge and learn strategies for managing organizational change.
OBJECTIVES
• Master new approaches to leadership in complex academic settings.
• Understand and overcome the challenges of organizational change.
• Think and act strategically with attention to people, financial resources, partnerships, initiatives, and emerging opportunities.
• Assess the impact of changes in the higher education environment.
• Foster institutional cultures that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Experienced higher education leaders who have oversight and responsibility for their school, department, division, or functional area, including:
• Deans with accrued leadership experience
• Assistant and associate vice presidents
• Assistant and associate provosts
• Directors
EDUCATIONAL CO-CHAIRS
Francesca Purcell | Faculty Co-Chair, Online Master's in Education and Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE
Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, Ph.D., Ed.D. | Vice President & Co-Head of the Office of Community Engagement and Communications, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
MODALITY
On Campus
LEADERSHIP IN STRATEGIC ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT (SEM)
From improving the quality of educational opportunities to expanding access to a more diverse student population, student enrollment and retention leaders face a range of critical issues that can be difficult to overcome. In this rigorous in-person institute, you will gain the data-informed tools needed to develop, implement, assess, and continuously improve upon a strategic enrollment plan—customized to meet your institution’s admissions, retention, and financial goals.
OBJECTIVES
• Explore fundamentals and understand enrollment management theory, evidence, and ways institutions have applied them to solve enrollment challenges.
• Learn to implement and assess effective enrollment strategies.
• Foster a shared understanding of enrollment challenges and solutions.
• Identify opportunities and build partnerships for strategic enrollment management.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Higher education leaders and admissions professionals involved in student enrollment and retention, including:
• Directors of admissions
• Vice presidents, vice provosts, and assistant or associate deans
• Staff from departments such as enrollment, management, marketing, communications, financial aid, student success, student services, and institutional research
FACULTY CHAIR
Drew Allen | Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE and Associate Provost for Institutional Research, Provost's Office, Harvard University
MODALITY On Campus
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS (LIAL)
Designed specifically for academic librarians, this professional development opportunity immerses you in three key leadership areas—planning, organizational strategy and change, and transformational learning—with an overarching goal of increasing your leadership effectiveness and management capacity. You’ll deepen your leadership skills, improve your ability to meet current and future challenges, and make connections with a diverse community of practice.
OBJECTIVES
• Learn more about the factors that improve and inhibit your leadership effectiveness.
• Increase your leadership effectiveness in ways that drive innovation and generate lasting impact.
• Develop strategies to address short and long-term challenges within your library.
• Participate in meaningful personal reflection and professional renewal among a supportive community of colleagues.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
• College and university librarians with management or leadership responsibilities
• Librarians who lead major programs, such as library deans, directors, unit heads, and their direct reports
• Non-library campus leaders whose work impacts library-related functions
FACU LTY CO-CHAIRS
Alex R. Hodges | Member of the Faculty of Education, Librarian and Director of the Monroe C. Gutman Library, HGSE
MODALITY
On Campus
LGBTQIA+ LEADERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION (LHE)
LGBTQIA+ education leaders bring a wealth of experience and insight to their teams, their students, and their campus communities. LGBTQIA+ Leadership in Higher Education (LHE) is designed to help these professionals sharpen their leadership abilities and develop peer networks to better serve their institutions and students. In four days on campus, you’ll engage with peers and faculty, share common challenges, and learn to respond strategically to your most pressing issues.
OBJECTIVES
• Navigate organizational change to create and enhance your institution's inclusive culture and workplace.
• Strengthen your interpersonal skills as an LGBTQIA+ leader through effective communication.
• Analyze how your queer identity informs and strengthens your leadership capabilities.
• Develop competencies to support student organizations, student engagement, and student success.
• Engage with current and former LGBTQIA+ university presidents.
• Build your influence through negotiation best practices.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
LGBTQIA+ leaders with five or more years of experience who work at:
• Colleges
• Universities
• Foundations and policy organizations focused on higher education (including grantmakers)
While this program is designed for participants who identify as LGBTQIA+, it is open to all higher education-associated leaders who otherwise fulfill the admissions criteria.
FACULTY CHAIR
Francesca
Purcell | Faculty Co-Chair, Online Master's in Education
Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE
MODALITY
On Campus
MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MDP)
Higher education leaders face a wide array of leadership and managerial challenges—from planning and implementing strategic action to allocating financial resources and enacting the vision of senior leadership. To succeed, administrators need skills that enable them to work throughout the institutional hierarchy while staying true to their own personal and professional identities.
The Management Development Program (MDP) is designed to help you acquire the knowledge and insight needed to think more strategically, balance competing demands, and engage in more forward-thinking leadership.
OBJECTIVES
• Understand the characteristics of effective, ethical leadership.
• Learn how to develop and lead high-functioning teams.
• Understand your optimal role in planning initiatives.
• Learn how to manage financial and human resources.
• Understand how to function as an effective change agent.
• Learn to cultivate and lead a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Early-career college and university administrators responsible for the strategic direction, administrative management, and local leadership of their respective departments and areas, including:
• Deans, including associate and assistant deans
• Department chairs
• Program or managing directors
FACULTY CO-CHAIRS
Liya Escalera | Lecturer on Education, HGSE
Eduardo Contreras | Vice Provost for Global Engagement, Baylor University; Adjunct Faculty in Professional Education, HGSE
MODALITY
On Campus
WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP
(WHL)
Women in Higher Education Leadership is a forum for you to celebrate your strengths, analyze your challenges, and focus on the skills you need now to engage multiple constituencies in improving learning opportunities for your students. WHL empowers women to lead through adversity and provides a unique opportunity for growth and renewal among diverse groups of women, highlighting their unique contributions and experiences.
OBJECTIVES
• Learn strategies for prioritizing your equity agenda, especially in tumultuous times.
• Explore ways to build and sustain collaborative relationships with your team and stakeholders.
• Gain essential negotiation skills to ensure your resource needs are met.
• Understand the nature of your professional challenges and how biases related to gender and race are at play, and explore ways to respond.
• Create a lasting network of women leaders across the sector who affect change in education.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Senior leaders across higher education, including:
• Program directors
• Department chairs
• Other administrative leaders in higher education
FACULTY CO-CHAIRS
Kathleen McCartney | Dean Emerita, HGSE
Deborah Jewell-Sherman | Gregory R. Anrig Professor of Practice, Emerita, HGSE
MODALITY
On Campus
“Participating in the Women in Leadership program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education was transformative. It not only helped me navigate my career path but also provided essential tools for personal and professional growth. From leadership advice to networking opportunities and meaningful interactions with leaders in education, this program has been instrumental in shaping my journey towards impactful leadership and building valuable connections in the field.”
BRITTNEY D. ALLS, ESQ. CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER AND VP OF AUDIT, COMPLIANCE, ETHICS, AND RISK MANAGEMENT, AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY
PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE
The Harvard Institutes for Higher Education also offer programs that address more focused leadership challenges and contexts. These programs provide a deeper dive into those leadership challenges that contemporary administrators find at the top of their action lists, from student mental health to institutional research.
“Even during the first week, this program provided tools and insights that I could use immediately in my day-to-day work. I’m amazed by what I’ve learned, how I’ve been influenced, and the ‘tools’ I can use in just eight short sessions.”
PAULA STOSSEL ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT, INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
CRISIS LEADERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION (CLHE)
Drawing on the combined expertise of the Harvard Kennedy School in crisis management and the Harvard Graduate School of Education in higher education, this unique program prepares college administrators to respond to crises effectively, develop protocols and practices that minimize the potential for future occurrences, and inspire confidence in the long-term safety, security, and success of their institutions.
OBJECTIVES
• Learn to diagnose and understand an event, recognizing distinctions among different types of crises.
• Explore the role of training and practice exercises in preparing your campus.
• Discover how to manage policy and operational concerns that arise in a crisis.
• Determine how you will ensure appropriate accountability during and after crisis events.
• Prepare how to manage the transition from immediate response to long-term recovery.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
• College and university presidents and chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, and other senior-level administrators with responsibility for crisis planning, communication, and external relations
• Administrators responsible for developing and implementing the campus crisis management plan, including chief administrative officers, heads of institutional communication, and directors of campus safety and security
FACULTY CO-CHAIRS
Bridget Long | Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor; Saris Professor of Education and Economics, HGSE
Herman Leonard | Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus, Harvard Business School; Professor of Public Management, Harvard Kennedy School
MODALITY On Campus
HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCE FOR ACADEMIC LEADERS (FIN)
In order to advance their missions, higher education leaders working outside the finance field need to understand the fundamentals of finance and their impact on daily operations and long-term strategy. Higher Education Finance for Academic Leaders was developed to help these leaders gain financial literacy, understand the key levers available to influence decisions, and learn how to develop buy-in from faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.
OBJECTIVES
• Learn the key factors driving trends in higher education resources and the forces shaping current and future challenges.
• Gain insight into your institution’s financial model, budgeting concepts, strategy, and tools to evaluate performance.
• Understand critical strategies, levers, and tradeoffs involved in resource decision-making.
• Explore how institutions balance financial challenges with their educational mission.
• Strengthen stakeholder understanding of financial health and the link between academic priorities and financial decisions.
• Identify ways to advocate for resources and collaborate effectively with finance teams.
• Build a lasting professional network through peer learning and shared goals.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
• Higher education leaders with expertise outside of financial management who need better to understand financial concepts, trends, and strategies
• Financial managers who seek to communicate better with non-financial administrators
FACULTY CO-CHAIRS
Bridget Long | Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor; Saris Professor of Education and Economics, HGSE
Jonathan Paul | Chief Regional Operating Officer, OneGoal
MODALITY On Campus
INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH AND DATA
LEADERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION (IRHE)
As the challenges facing higher education escalate, the pace at which decisions are made is accelerating. Leaders in institutional research play a pivotal role in helping navigate these challenges and guide critical choices. This program is designed to enhance the effectiveness of institutional research and assessment, and to equip leaders with the necessary tools and resources to support data-driven decision-making.
OBJECTIVES
• Explore leadership skills to manage an institutional research, assessment, and analytics office, and collaborate with stakeholders.
• Understand how institutional research supports student success, learning, and the accreditation process.
• Examine federal policies and reporting requirements in today’s evolving landscape.
• Develop strategies to strengthen research functions, including data governance, planning, and IT infrastructure.
• Identify innovative data frameworks, tools, and methods for delivering better information.
• Leverage generative AI in research, assessment, and data governance.
• Strengthen communication practices, including data visualization, getting buy-in, and next steps.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Seasoned institutional research, analytics, and assessment leaders, as well as those stepping into new leadership roles in decision support, accreditation, data strategy or governance, strategic planning and analysis, institutional effectiveness, and program evaluation.
FACULTY CHAIR
Drew Allen | Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE and Associate Provost for Institutional Research, Provost's Office, Harvard University
MODALITY
On Campus
MENTAL HEALTH IN HIGHER EDUCATION (MHH)
Student mental health issues rightfully demand the attention of higher education professionals. Using a theory-grounded approach, this program empowers you to explore common mental health challenges in colleges and universities, collaborate with accomplished peers to solve shared institutional problems, and craft targeted, impactful support programs that help students when they need it most.
OBJECTIVES
• Analyze contemporary data on student mental health and well-being.
• Engage with the literature on student mental health and well-being.
• Consider the range of challenges that contribute to or exacerbate mental health issues.
• Explore current and historical patterns in student mental health.
• Understand theories and models of student support and how to apply them.
• Develop a robust set of questions to explore and identify challenges and supports at your home institution.
• Engage with colleagues to address contemporary problems of practice.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Higher education professionals who work directly with students and/or make decisions about student life in U.S. institutions, including:
• Faculty
• Deans of Students
• Staff from departments such as academic advising, career services, counseling and wellness, residential life and housing, and student life
FACULTY CHAIR
Alexis Redding | Faculty Chair, Higher Education Concentration; Lecturer on Education, HGSE
MODALITY
Online Live
PROGRAM GUIDE
THEME PROGRAM
PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP
Harvard Seminar for New Presidents (NP)
HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP
Institute for Educational Management (IEM)
Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE)
Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians (LIAL)
Leadership in Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM)
LGBTQIA+ Leadership in Higher Education (LHE)
Management Development Program (MDP)
Women in Higher Education Leadership (WHL)
PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE
Crisis Leadership in Higher Education (CLHE)
Higher Education Finance for Academic Leaders (FIN)
Institutional Research and Data Leadership in Higher Education (IRHE)
Mental Health in Higher Education (MHH)
