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Professional Development
Gather with colleagues from across academia to focus on solutions to the issues most critical to college and university presidents and their administrations.
In accordance with Harvard University policy, Professional Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education affirms the right of all individuals to equal treatment in education without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
College and university presidents have always faced a wide variety of crises, many of them prevalent in higher education. But in recent years, new kinds of crises have arisen, and their frequency and ferocity have increased. The ubiquity of social media and the impulse for outrage often serve as accelerants, turning seemingly small events into serious conflagrations that can escalate into personal confrontations and even violence.
Designed expressly for college and university presidents, Harvard Seminar for Presidential Leadership examines the nature and dynamics of crises that presidents are likely to encounter. Working together with expert faculty and talented peers, you’ll assess your current crisis management processes and learn how to adapt them to prepare for endemic and novel crisis types. You will leave Harvard with a better understanding of the dynamics of crises, the appropriate role of the president, and strategies to both reduce the likelihood of a crisis and respond more effectively if one should occur. The program welcomes interest and applications from all practitioners in the field.
This seminar will be hosted in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Crisis Leadership Planning and Implementation was created to provide a candid forum for presidents to talk with each other about their particular circumstances and challenges. The learning experience will include faculty-led sessions, discussion groups, and most importantly, connections with an extraordinary peer group of colleagues from across the country.
The program draws on cross-disciplinary expertise from faculty at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Judith Block McLaughlin’s work focuses on leadership and governance in higher education.