To reduce the social conflict, distrust, and polarization plaguing many college campuses, UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center will inspire and support campus leaders to develop scientifically grounded programs that bridge differences and foster civil discourse. In the second phase of the successful Bridging Differences in Higher Education project, coordinators will:
1) Create an “intensive” community of practice (CoP) for campus leaders who want to develop or improve a specific program.
2) Host another round of the “introductory” CoP that introduces participants to relevant science and grows the network of leaders engaged in this work.
3) Disseminate case studies of how campuses are implementing their programs.
Deliverables will include outlines of the CoPs and a list of the 85 leaders who engaged in them, plus articles, a podcast episode, and other content that reaches more than 225K people. Results will include: more campus leaders successfully launch research-based programs to bridge difference—and persevere through challenges; these programs have a greater impact on those they serve because they are based on science and best practices; and the broader community of higher ed leaders is more motivated to create their own programs, guided by lessons learned from the project.