Harvard Seminar for New Presidents

Gain the support of expert faculty and a community of extraordinary peers throughout your first year in your new role as a college/university president.

Overview

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 in their new roles.

Program Details

This seminar focuses on critical issues in the first months and years of the presidency, with intensive sessions that address a range of topics critical to the current context of higher education, including board governance, fundraising, academic leadership, strategic planning, the digital president, and the public role of the presidency.

This year, the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents will be offered in a new blended format that includes virtual faculty-led sessions, small group conversations with the Educational Chair, discussion groups with your cohort, and a one-day on-campus program in June 2022.

This format provides access to a yearlong community of support, with ample time to reflect and consult with experts and an extraordinary peer group of colleagues from across the country about your particular concerns and circumstances as they arise.

The schedule for live sessions is as follows:

• July 9, 2021: 11:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET
• July 10, 2021: 11:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET
• September 22, 2021: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET
• November 17, 2021: 11:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
• February 16, 2022: 11:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
• June 9 – 10, 2022 on-campus in Cambridge, MA

Objectives

• Explore the president’s multiple roles: chief executive officer, senior personnel officer, and academic leader
• Understand the relationship between the president and board of trustees and your power to improve institutional governance
• Examine the components of the fundraising process and your role in assuring success
• Explore the importance of the culture and traditions of an institution
• Consider the opportunity and challenges of social media in the president’s communications
• Study the role of the president in strategic planning, and learn how to develop institutional performance indicators and sustain progress

Who Should Attend

• First-time college and university presidents and chancellors ranging from those who have been appointed but not yet assumed office to those within the first 12 months of their presidencies
• Presidents from all sectors of higher education — colleges, universities, and community colleges

Fees & Policies

Tuition includes all instructional materials required for participation in the program.

Full tuition is due by the indicated payment deadline, please refer to the individual program’s community and application page for payment deadlines. While a purchase order confirms enrollment, full payment is still required by the final payment deadline. Please note that failure to pay by the payment deadline will result in your withdrawal from the program.

Please click here for more information on payment, refund, and withdrawal policies. The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel programs at its discretion. The school is not responsible for any planning expenses incurred.

Closed Captioning and Accessibility

This online course consists of live web conferences. For live events, we will arrange for captioning services upon your request. Please contact us if you require these accommodations. If possible, requests should be made as soon as possible and at least a week in advance. Please note: we will make every effort to secure services, but all are subject to availability.