Second cohort brings together 72 educators, industry leaders, and innovators from across the country
What should higher education look like in 2030, and what needs to change now to get there? That question is at the center of the second cohort of Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Alliance of Future Makers, a national initiative bringing educators, higher education leaders, industry partners, and students into conversations about the future of learning.
“AI and other emerging technologies are changing the way we live and work. Higher education can’t afford to wait for the future to arrive. We have to quickly shape what comes next,” says ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. “The Alliance of Future Makers brings leaders together from across the country to think boldly about what’s ahead. Our responsibility is to turn change into action and transform the future of higher education in the process.”
The second cohort brings together 72 members representing 17 institutions from across the country, creating a national network focused on applying foresight and innovation across education and workforce development. The cohort begins Wednesday, October 14.
The Alliance was created through ACC’s Office for the Future to move conversations about the future of higher education from speculation to action. Participants learn foresight methods, experiment with new approaches, and apply future-focused strategies within their own institutions and organizations.
The second cohort expands the Alliance beyond its original Fellows and Leadership tracks. The initiative now includes:
- Fellows Track for scholar-practitioners
- Administrator Leadership Track for higher education administrators
- President/CEO Circle for college and university presidents and CEOs
“Too often, we talk about the future as if it’s something that happens to us. But we have agency in what comes next,” says Dr. Monique Reeves, ACC’s Executive Vice Chancellor for the Future. “The Alliance of Future Makers brings educators, employers, community leaders, and innovators into the same space to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another. When we co-create, we have a greater opportunity to build pathways from learning to career success that truly serve our communities.”
Throughout the cohort, participants will build tools, insights, and connections they can apply within their own institutions and organizations. The Alliance will culminate in the second annual Summit of Future Makers in spring 2027, where members will showcase future-ready models and ideas for higher education and workforce development.
By bringing together perspectives from higher education, industry, and students, the Alliance aims to help leaders anticipate change, make more informed decisions today, and build institutions prepared for what comes next.
For more information about the Alliance of Future Makers, visit austincc.edu/afm.
Tags: AFM, Alliance of Future Makers, Office For The Future
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