Higher Education
Fostering Pluralism in Higher Education: A Playbook for Senior Leaders
An actionable resource designed to equip presidents, provosts, and other senior leaders to champion cooperative campus cultures that cross lines of difference.
Published August 2025
The Playbook
As polarization and ideological division intensify across the U.S., college campuses have a unique opportunity and responsibility to lead with pluralism. Fostering Pluralism in Higher Education: A Playbook for Senior Leaders is an actionable resource designed to equip presidents, provosts, and other senior leaders to champion cooperative campus cultures that cross lines of difference.
Developed by Interfaith America, this playbook distills over two decades of research and practical insight into a roadmap for institution-wide change. It outlines four key practices for transformation: institutional leadership, capacity building, curriculum and scholarship, and co-curricular engagement. Each section includes campus-tested strategies, real-world examples, guiding questions, and tools to help leaders adapt pluralism practices to their unique context.
Whether you’re aligning pluralism with your institution’s mission, preparing students to build bridges, or seeking to reduce polarization on campus, this playbook offers the clarity and momentum to make lasting change.
