2026 College and University Fund Conference
Event Details
Event Date: December 4, 2026
Location: Westin Grand Central, New York, NY
On Friday, December 4, 2026, the Social Science Research Council will convene institutional leaders from the College and University Fund for the Social Sciences, together with leaders of philanthropic organizations and other research partners. Our theme for this year’s conference will be “Schools of Democracy: Higher Education and Social Capital Formation.”
Are today’s colleges and universities schools of democracy? At a time when institutions are under increasing scrutiny and strain, this conference will examine how higher education can strengthen social networks, build shared values, and bolster civic trust. Speakers include Robert Putnam (Harvard), author of “Bowling Alone” and “The Upswing,” as well as Hahrie Han (Johns Hopkins), author of “Undivided” and “How Organizations Develop Activists” and Margaret Levi (Stanford), author of “Of Rule and Revenue” and “Consent, Dissent, and Patriotism.”
Institutions, including those of democracy, exist to solve collective action problems like free-riding and the tragedy of the commons. Together, we will consider higher education’s critical role not just in developing human capital that enables individuals to compete in the job market, but also in developing social capital that enables groups to cooperate on overcoming shared challenges.
This year’s conference will be held at the Westin Grand Central in midtown Manhattan, with the program running from 10:00am – 5:00pm and a reception immediately following, from 5:00-7:00pm. We will open the day with a Deans’ Breakfast at the SSRC’s new office space nearby, open to registration from deans overseeing the social and behavioral sciences.
Conference registration is open to attendees from member institutions of the College and University Fund for the Social Sciences. For more information about the conference or the College and University Fund for the Social Sciences, please contact Lisa Marshall, SSRC Chief of Staff, at marshall@ssrc.org.