Institute for Board Chairs and Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities 2026

The most important relationship for effective governance is that between the board chair and the president. To succeed, both individuals must commit their time and talents to work as partners for the institution and the students they serve. AGB's Institute for Board Chairs and Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities allows chair-president teams to develop robust partnerships and create a focused agenda that moves both the board and the institution forward. Since 1985, nearly 900 teams have participated in the institute, and have found it essential to effective governance at their institutions. As a result of this Institute, board chairs and presidents will strengthen their relationship, find answers to emerging challenges, and develop an action agenda for the board. Facilitated group sessions provide best practices in governance and effective strategies from other institutions, while president-chair team meetings and one-on-one consultations allow participants to focus on shared work at their own institutions. By participating in this institute, participants will: Enjoy highly engaging small-group sessions with higher education experts to discuss best practices and innovations in governance; Develop an action agenda for improving board practice and advancing their institutions; Participate in one-on-one consultations to focus on shared work at their institutions and assess the strength of their boards; and Engage with a network of peers to learn from and draw upon after the institute concludes.