Academic innovation units cultivate the future of colleges and universities through educational technology, online learning, faculty development, research, and policy. Researchers at the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation, in partnership with education consultancy Quantum Thinking, conducted a comprehensive national survey of these relatively new units’ directors to create a portrait of their impact and the infrastructure enabling their work. Ten years after the first such survey, Leading Academic Change 2.0 demonstrates a field in rapid expansion. In this Innovation Insights Research Talk, Nate Cradit and Cait Hayward share findings demonstrating how more than 100 institutions across sectors have engaged in this space, offering insights and inspiration for leaders striving to foster a culture of continuous improvement and transformative learning experiences.

Innovation Insights
The Center for Academic Innovation brings together people who want to transform education, share knowledge, and increase learner success by hosting inspiring talks, collaborative problem-solving workshops, and discussions on the latest in educational research and practice. The Innovation Insights series features a diverse lineup of topics, delivered by leaders in academia and private industry, united by the common goals of delivering insights into how to further academic innovation and build the future of education.

About Nate Cradit
As a research scientist, Dr. Nate Cradit studies the intersections of online learning, education technology, postsecondary teaching, and the public good. He was previously the founding chair of the Higher Education Leadership department at National Louis University in Chicago. His past research has included studies of campus gun violence, race-based admissions and the US Supreme Court, and development of graduate and co-curricular programs for the study of higher education in nations with evolving systems of public education, including South Africa and Azerbaijan.

About Cait Hayward
Dr. Cait Hayward manages the research and analytics portfolio at Academic Innovation, with a focus on ensuring that our projects are taking advantage of the vast amount of data available to them to inform design, iteration, and prioritization. She manages the data science, user experience research, and educational research teams, and provides data analysis, research design, and creative problem-solving to initiatives at all stages across Academic Innovation.