University Design Institute welcomes The Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership into U.S. Practice
UDI and the Academy are focused on preparing future higher education leadership across the United States.
The University Design Institute is excited to announce the integration of the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership, a premier program for current and future leaders in higher education across the United States.
This new era of leadership development strengthens UDI’s U.S. Practice by combining its global expertise in institutional innovation and leadership development with the Academy’s proven track record of cultivating transformative leaders for more than a decade.
Launched as a partnership between Arizona State University and Georgetown University, the Academy has served over 250 leaders from more than 100 institutions. Its programming equips participants with the skills to navigate uncertainty, lead organizational change and scale solutions that meet the demands of a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.
For the University Design Institute, this presents an opportunity to deepen our impact in U.S. higher education, enabling us to collaborate with current and future leaders and shape capabilities in innovation, impact, and design within higher education, while providing new vantage points across the U.S. higher education landscape through a direct connection with a deep Academy alumni network, gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges facing higher education and how the leaders on the ground are facing them and solving them within their contexts.
“The Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership plays a tremendous role in U.S. higher education, and we are thrilled the Academy is now a part of the University Design Institute,” said Minu Ipe, Vice Chair and Managing Director of the University Design Institute at ASU. “This allows us to deepen our work in U.S. higher education by engaging directly with system and institutional leaders, gaining valuable insight into the challenges they face and the innovations they’re driving on the ground. Through this new era of leadership development, we aim to broaden our impact and enhance higher education nationwide.”
The Academy was co-founded by Jeffrey Selingo, a best-selling author and journalist, a Global Fellow at the University Design Institute, and a special advisor to ASU President Michael Crow. Jeff's leadership and vision for the Academy have been tremendous over the past decade, and he will continue to have a leading role in the advancement and future of the program. This program would not be successful without Jeff and the rest of the Academy's team.
“From the beginning, the Academy was designed to prepare higher education leaders not just for the world as it is, but for the one that's coming,” said Selingo. “Partnering with the University Design Institute is a great fit for the next decade-plus of the Academy because it connects our deep network with UDI’s global innovation platform. Together, we’ll be able to equip the next generation of leaders to design the future of higher ed, not just respond to it.”
Now Recruiting: 12th Cohort Launches October 2025
UDI and the Academy team are actively recruiting for the 12th Cohort of the program, which will begin in October 2025. The program includes:
- Three, multi-day sessions in Phoenix and in Washington, D.C.
- Virtual learning modules and coaching sessions throughout the spring
- A curriculum rooted in design thinking, leadership development and systems-level change
To make the program more accessible, tuition has been reduced to $9,900 per participant. The Academy continues to seek entrepreneurial leaders, change agents and individuals who see themselves as the leaders of the future of higher education. Diversity in all forms is at the heart of innovation and transformation. We seek to recruit a cohort that maximizes difference and reflects our higher education constituencies.
The deadline to apply is July 25, 2025. You can learn more and apply for the program here.
About the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership
The Academy brings together approximately 30 leaders from four-year higher education institutions across the United States, who have 7-10 years of experience and hold significant leadership responsibilities within their institutions. The cohort reflects a wide range of four-year institutions. It intentionally emphasizes racial, ethnic, gender and professional diversity to ensure the full spectrum of higher education comes together to engage deeply in issues (re)shaping the field.
The year-long program includes in-person sessions in Washington, D.C. and at Arizona State University, as well as virtual peer learning and leadership coaching. Design thinking is embedded into each module of the program, with exercises that encourage the cohort to develop a new approach to tackling persistent challenges and bring solutions back to their own institutions.
To learn more about the Academy, visit georgetown.asu.edu.