Enabling Graduate Program Innovation by Creating the Conditions for Change
May 21, 2026
2-3pm ET
Many graduate programs were designed for academic career pathways that no longer reflect the realities or aspirations of today’s students. As part of its NSF Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) project, the University of Pittsburgh developed and tested a personalized model that helps programs realign with students’ diverse career intentions, supported by a Faculty Learning Community (FLC), a shared Body of Knowledge (BoK), a robust institutional scaffolding framework, and professional development streams.
This webinar introduced this model to graduate deans, associate deans, and graduate directors who are positioned to drive program transformation. Participants learned about their role as enablers of change, reflected on the current status of their unit in the change process, identified common barriers to reform, and were introduced to tools to achieve sustainable innovations in graduate education.