Presentation
What Makes Institutions Vital? A Framework for High-Stakes Decision Making in Higher Education
Thursday, July 16, 2:50 PM local time
Higher education is in a new institutional era. Demographic disruption, financial pressure, AI acceleration, shifting student expectations, and declining public confidence are reshaping how institutions operate, compete, and sustain relevance. What were once isolated challenges have become interconnected conditions that require clearer strategic direction, stronger organizational alignment, and more adaptive leadership.
In this environment, institutional success is no longer defined by stability alone. Vital institutions demonstrate both organizational strength and direct relevance to the students and communities they serve—aligning strategy, leadership, and action around meaningful impact and long-term sustainability.
In this session, Chiefs of Staff will explore Carnegie’s emerging Vitality Framework, a model for helping institutional leaders navigate complexity, make high-stakes decisions, and move forward with greater clarity and alignment. Participants will examine the conditions shaping higher education today, consider what makes institutions truly vital, and discuss the role leadership plays in driving institutional momentum, adaptability, and student-centered success.
