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Futures of the Research University

ASU’s multiuniversity, cross-sector initiative to reimagine how US research universities will evolve

Amid the pressures brought on by declining public trust, shifting political support, global climate change and rapid technological advances, especially in artificial intelligence, the Futures of the Research University project brings together diverse stakeholders to imagine a shared vision for U.S. research universities in 2050 and beyond.

We are moving past reactive crisis management and toward actionable pathways that universities across the country can implement.

How it works

Using creative futures methods, we will produce a set of plausible future scenarios and actionable pathways to arrive there. A literature-and-interview process will culminate in a two-day workshop, hosted at The New York Academy of Sciences, followed by the production and sharing of narratives, video and policy recommendations for our stakeholders to use.

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Why it matters

The question is important because universities are institutions of substantial cultural, social, intellectual and economic importance that have been functioning in these roles for centuries. In a time of political, technological and ecological disruption, it is crucial that at least some leaders keep their eyes on longer-term goals rather than crisis management.

Much of this current response focuses on the possibility of renewing the “social contract” between the federal government and universities. While this approach is often well-informed by practice, there are some key facets missing. The existing approaches tend to avoid envisioning the necessary infrastructure, culture or practices that may need to be created for longer-term success.

Our efforts incorporate a rigorous understanding of work on what the social contract is, and the larger forces and visions driving innovation in higher education as guided by the work of ASU President Michael Crow, into a program of constructive, creative futures for research universities.

Universities were built for yesterday. Who is rebuilding them for tomorrow?

David Guston challenges universities to reimagine their core functions for a future of AI, climate disruption and political uncertainty, inviting philanthropic partners to help define and fund the research university of the future.

Project rollout

Stage 0 – Planning and preparation

The initial and current stage focuses on organizing the project team at ASU, assembling partners and participants from other organizations and performing preliminary research.

Our partner organizations, including other universities and stakeholder groups, will provide material support to the project. Principals or designees from partner institutions and philanthropic partnerships will join the extended project team to select further participants and pursue additional funding.

We aim to include partners with diverse geographic, demographic and mission-related characteristics to support this work and its relevance to various institutions.

Stage 1 – Development workshop

The project’s focal activity is a two-day scenario development workshop and roundtable, scheduled to take place at The New York Academy of Sciences in Spring 2027.

The roundtable creates an opportunity for leaders representing ASU and our partner organizations to discuss relevant issues and guide the tone for the subsequent workshop.

At the workshop, participants will create normative scenarios around which to develop pathways. The project team will analyze these scenarios to understand the most attractive, plausible paths forward. They will use this information to develop creative outputs, such as short stories, graphic storyboards, videos and podcasts, as well as policy and analytic guidance for dissemination to a broad academic and public audience in stage 2.

Stage 2 – Putting ideas into practice

After the workshop concludes, the project team will share outputs through our partner and participant networks, at public and professional meetings and online via social media and other public-facing outlets.

With sufficient resources, we will develop an online executive leadership program in futures of research universities.