Public confidence in higher education is shifting at the same time policymakers and accreditors are demanding clearer evidence of outcomes, mobility, and institutional value. Independent and liberal arts institutions are often portrayed as vulnerable in this environment—yet they may be best positioned to lead. Their emphasis on critical inquiry, ethical reasoning, and adaptable thinking aligns directly with the durable skills learners and employers need, even if the sector has not always translated that value in ways the public understands.
This session explores AACRAO’s Learning Mobility framework and strategic pillars as a response to the national call for trust, transparency, and outcomes-based accountability. By moving the conversation from seat time and credit accumulation toward demonstrated learning and transferable competencies, institutions can strengthen learner mobility while reinforcing the foundational role of the liberal arts.
Participants will consider how a shift in narrative—and in practice—can reposition independent colleges not as defenders of a traditional model, but as architects of a more transparent, learner-centered future that advances institutional mission and public value.
Melanie Gottlieb, Executive Director, AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers)
Interactive seminars cover important issues that currently impact independent higher education. They are designed to be practical and hands-on with clear learning outcomes. Each will include examples of replicable models for participants to use when faced with the situations covered by the seminars.
These interactive seminars are free of charge and do not require pre-registration, but they have limited capacity. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.