Conference on Leadership in Higher Education
"Dare to Lead Differently"
March 4-5, 2027 | Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Institutions of higher education in the United States are at a pivotal moment, facing declining public trust and growing questions about their legitimacy, effectiveness, and societal role. Addressing these challenges will require more than incremental reform; it calls for a cultural transformation in higher education leadership .
The Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence invites nominations for an exclusive, invitation-only conference designed to inspire and support this transformation. The conference will bring together a select cohort of 50 administrative leaders from Purdue University and peer institutions across the United States who are committed to shaping a stronger future for higher education.
This conference aims to challenge, inspire, and equip leaders to lead with confidence, empathy, and humility. Through cutting-edge research, real-world cases, and facilitated peer dialogue, participants will explore evidence-based approaches for building trust, strengthening culture, leading through uncertainty, and advancing human flourishing. Attendees will leave with renewed hope and agency, along with practical tools for driving culture-shifting change in strategy, operations, policy, and communication.
The Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence invites nominations for an exclusive, invitation-only conference designed to inspire and support this transformation. The conference will bring together a select cohort of 50 administrative leaders from Purdue University and peer institutions across the United States who are committed to shaping a stronger future for higher education.
This conference aims to challenge, inspire, and equip leaders to lead with confidence, empathy, and humility. Through cutting-edge research, real-world cases, and facilitated peer dialogue, participants will explore evidence-based approaches for building trust, strengthening culture, leading through uncertainty, and advancing human flourishing. Attendees will leave with renewed hope and agency, along with practical tools for driving culture-shifting change in strategy, operations, policy, and communication.
About the Conference
Hosted on Purdue University’s main campus, this intensive, 12-hour, two-day conference will begin on the afternoon of March 4 and conclude on the afternoon of March 5, 2027.
Participants will hear from leading organizational scientists and seasoned higher education administrators, engage in facilitated discussions, and share experiences and stories around the table. The program will create space for deep individual and collective reflection on what feels broken in higher education, what can be done to address it, and how we can preserve and further strengthen what remains good and true.
The conference will be guided by insights from the science and practice of human flourishing in organizations. Together, participants will explore how culture-shifting change can be advanced through:
Participants will hear from leading organizational scientists and seasoned higher education administrators, engage in facilitated discussions, and share experiences and stories around the table. The program will create space for deep individual and collective reflection on what feels broken in higher education, what can be done to address it, and how we can preserve and further strengthen what remains good and true.
The conference will be guided by insights from the science and practice of human flourishing in organizations. Together, participants will explore how culture-shifting change can be advanced through:
- Strategic direction, institutional priorities, and thoughtful resource allocation
- Operational processes and organizational practices
- Policy development and decision-making
- Leadership and team development
- Internal and external communication