Civics in Higher Education

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University and the Alliance for Civics in the Academy (ACA), with support from GBH, hosted a one-day national summit on the state of civics in higher education on Friday, April 10, 2026 from 9:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tufts University’s Medford/Somerville campus. 

The summit convened practitioners, faculty, administrators, and students from across the United States to explore, discuss and compare models of civic practice in higher education.

Summit speakers and panelists included Amy Binder, Mary Clark, Michael Clune, Dayna Cunningham, Andrew Delbanco, Fonna Forman, Bryan Garsten, Leslie Garvin, Caroline Attardo Genco, Tetyana Hoggan-Kloubert, Jonathan Holloway, Jessica Kimpell Johnson, Peter Levine, Marisol Morales, Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, Josiah Ober, Eboo Patel, Mindy Romero, Jenna Silber Storey, Leela Strong, Amber Wichowsky, and more.

Summit Content and Themes

The summit brought together three categories of university-based centers and programs—including diverse representatives from each—that are influential and widespread:

1. Colleges or programs of Civic Thought or Civic Studies. These entities offer civic education courses within a liberal arts curriculum. At least 13 are new initiatives at public universities. They may also produce research and public programs related to civic life. 
    
2. Centers and initiatives that engaged higher education with communities in part to enhance their students’ civic skills and knowledge. These initiatives have roots in the Land Grant tradition (including the HBCU Land Grants) and the “Wisconsin Idea,” and many are ambitious and innovative today.
    
3. Democracy research centers and institutes based in universities that aim to improve democracy or civil society by generating research, tools, and events for the public. 

This information will be updated as the conference develops. See the full agenda and summit speakers. 

Registration is now closed