AAC&U Forum on Transformational Leadership

Details

Hosted by the Association of American Colleges & Universities, this forum brings together higher education leaders committed to advancing institutional transformation through principled, forward-looking leadership.

Designed for those navigating complex change, the event focuses on aligning leadership, strategy, and institutional identity in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Sustainable institutional change doesn’t happen through operations alone—it requires leadership grounded in clarity, conviction, and a deep understanding of institutional identity.

At this forum, we’re contributing to conversations around how research-backed strategy and “brand truth” can help leaders navigate uncertainty and make more confident, aligned decisions.

By connecting leadership development with practical strategy and communication, institutions can move beyond incremental change and toward more cohesive, mission-driven transformation.

Presentation

AI Transformation: Building an AI-Empowered Leadership Team

Presented by Shankar Prasad, Chief Strategy Officer
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | 4:00–5:00 PM MT

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the strategic, operational, and academic core of higher education—but many institutions remain stuck in isolated pilots without a cohesive plan.

This session introduces a practical framework for building an AI-empowered leadership team, aligning key functions across the institution—from the president and provost to enrollment, student success, finance, IT, and advancement.

Attendees will walk away with:

• A roadmap designed for both immediate action and long-term transformation
• A clear model for institution-wide AI alignment
• Strategies for moving from experimentation to scalable impact
• Practical next steps to implement across leadership teams