Welcome to the Academic Leadership Institute

The Academic Leadership Institute (ALI), founded by Dr. Earl Lewis and Dr. Dwight A. McBride, in a partnership between the University of Michigan and Washington University in St. Louis, aims to increase the representation of rising leaders committed to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), on track to becoming future presidents and provosts. Since 2021, ALI has convened its annual Residential Program featuring a cohort of promising rising academic leaders. ALI also offers a progressive ALI webinar series on important and timely topics, featuring dynamic leaders from higher education and related industries. 

Through participation in the ALI Residential Program, Webinars, and other initiatives and events, attendees will benefit from:

• Access to a generation of proven leaders that can speak to core principles of leadership in higher education.
• Access to strategies, best practices, approaches, and methodologies from seasoned executive leaders about critical higher education topics. 
• Intense, close relationships with colleagues to provide an overall support network for the rest of their careers.
• Hands-on assistance and guidance from leading search consultants.
• Access to mentoring and coaching 

The 2025 Academic Leadership Institute Residential Program will be held from Saturday, August 2 – Wednesday, August 6, 2025, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Apply Here!