Next Wave Conference
The Next Wave offers focused, collegial opportunities for leaders to come together and explore current trends, often in technology and the commercial web, and to look to the future of higher education.
Leaders at our partner organizations are invited to join us at The Next Wave, our annual invitational event where we gather to understand the landscape, develop strategies, and find ways to collaborate and to thrive. For questions about this event, please reach out to Heidi McGregor, ITHAKA’s VP, Communications.
The Next Wave 2025
Meet the Moment
February 25, 2025, New York City
In March 2020, we experienced a rapid, massive shift from in-person and hybrid learning environments to fully remote educational experiences. It was crushingly fast, unnerving, stressful; and—while precipitated by the unprecedented and unwelcome COVID-19 pandemic—it was also perhaps the change event we needed to see our vulnerabilities and opportunities to deliver more meaningfully on the promise of American higher education.
Five years later, have we heard the wake-up call? In what ways are we working to make higher education—research, teaching, and learning—more effective and impactful for more people? How can we pursue meaningful change while navigating an ever-shifting higher education and technology environment?
At Next Wave 2025, we will come together as knowledge leaders to share our visions and the steps we’re taking to support higher education, to reflect on emerging trends and game-changing possibilities, and to be inspired to consider afresh our roles and the actions we can take to deliver on the promise of exceptional research, teaching and learning.
Past events
The Next Wave 2021
The Next Wave 2019
How will big changes in tech and society impact research and teaching?
The Next Wave 2018
Will we recognize higher ed in 10 years?
The Next Wave 2017
Can universities and colleges adapt to today’s challenges?