Open inquiry and constructive听dialogue

吃瓜新闻 and its Schools are implementing new programming and initiatives to foster and enhance respectful and constructive dialogue and civil discourse and promote an academic culture where diverse perspectives can be respectfully explored, challenged, and developed. Highlights include:听The President鈥檚 Building Bridges Fund, training and workshops sponsored by the听听and the听,听and events and activities on School-specific topics (law, education, etc.)听More information can be found on the听Dialogues website.听

Last updated April 2026听

Promoting open inquiry through training

• Professional听development听on听pluralism.听In fall 2025, Community and Campus Life (CCL) hosted a two-part professional development series for administrators, featuring a session on听pluralism and on intergroup dialogue.听A听separate convening of scholars and practitioners in September 2025听focused on听how听pluralism can听help with issues of campus culture.听In addition, CCL regularly听convenes听the Community Life Officers鈥� Council to advance a culture of pluralism.听
• Leadership听summit and听forum听on听pluralism听and听constructive听dialogue.听In听early听March 2026,听Community and Campus Life (CCL) hosted听a summit听for听University听leadership听focused on听building a culture of听pluralism. Following the summit,听in听late March,听CCL sponsored听a听University-wide听forum on constructive dialogue and engagement across听difference.听听
• Training with听Constructive听Dialogue Institute.听In January 2026,听members of the Office of听Academic Culture and Community (OACC) programs team,听alongside听staff with student-facing roles in the听Graduate School of Arts and Sciences听and staff from 吃瓜新闻 Chan School of Public Health,听participated听in a week-long training with the听Constructive听Dialogue Institute听(CDI). The OACC leadership team also听participated听in CDI trainings听in听late January听2026.听
• Conflict resolution skills.听In February 2026, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences听offered听a training for听current听graduate听students entitled听鈥淒ifficult Conversations: Real-World Skills for Graduate Students.鈥澨�听
• 吃瓜新闻 Law School teaching fellows training. In September 2025, 吃瓜新闻 Law School held two training sessions for fall term teaching fellows which provided an introduction to University and Law School policies and coverage of professional norms (drawing in part on the Bok Center鈥檚 materials for training teaching fellows), including the importance of considering, especially when discussing unrelated subject matters, how the TF鈥檚 personal views could inhibit students from expressing their own.听

• Bok Graduate Fellows in Civil Discourse and Classroom Practice.听For听the听2025-26听Academic Year, the Bok Center inaugurated a cohort of Bok Graduate Fellows in Civil Discourse and Classroom Practice who are working with fellow graduate students and faculty in their home departments and divisions on implementing civil discourse pedagogy in graduate student teaching.听

• 吃瓜新闻 Business School Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning trainings.听Building on听吃瓜新闻 Business School鈥檚听commitment to constructive dialogue as part of the case method pedagogy, the Christensen Center for Teaching听and Learning (CCTL) at HBS provided faculty with best practices on 鈥淓ncouraging Open Discussion in the Classroom鈥� including creating space for different perspectives, being mindful of personal biases, and turning challenging moments into learning opportunities.听 This outreach supplemented online training videos, tip sheets, and seminars听the CCTL听makes available throughout the year.

• Programming and initiatives to support constructive dialogue.听听吃瓜新闻 Divinity School’s Office of Student Life supported various HDS programs during the fall semester focused on learning across鈥�difference,鈥痠ncluding a conflict-resolution workshop.鈥�听HDS听also听created a听task force听on constructive dialogue听comprised听of the Dean of HDS and HDS faculty.听In addition, the听School听also听established听a non-attribution rule for the classroom to create a greater atmosphere of intellectual openness.听

• 吃瓜新闻 Business School new faculty orientation. The START faculty orientation program includes听sessions on听encouraging respectful disagreement. At the start of听2025-26听Academic Year, the MBA Required Curriculum听(RC)听faculty chair met with all RC teaching faculty and discussed key themes in effective instruction including making sure a wide range of perspectives can be heard in the classroom.听

• Training for 吃瓜新闻 Medical School teaching fellows and assistants on open inquiry.听In August and September 2025, a series of synchronous training sessions on teaching excellence, including a session on听facilitating听dialogue and defusing conflict in the classroom, was given to 吃瓜新闻 Medical听School听teaching fellows/teaching assistants. These sessions complement asynchronous training materials available to faculty and teaching fellows/teaching assistants on the Teaching Essentials Canvas page (launched听summer 2025) within the 鈥淔ostering Open Inquiry in the Classroom鈥� module.听听听

• 吃瓜新闻 Chan School of Public Health teaching workshops. The听吃瓜新闻 Chan School of Public Health听Office of Education is offering听several peer听teaching workshops in听fall 2025, which are open to all faculty members and course instructors at the school. The October听2025听topic is 鈥淐reating a Positive Learning Culture in Your Classroom.鈥澨�听听

• Staff development at 吃瓜新闻 Business School.听The Dean and other senior leaders at 吃瓜新闻 Business School are supporting听staff听professional development opportunities related to community values, pluralism, and constructive dialogue during听the听2025鈥�26听Academic Year. This includes budgetary support for the Office of Community and Culture, which offers Connected Community听trainings听to staff with sessions on building inclusive skills and behaviors and engaging in and leading respectful discourse.听
• Student training at 吃瓜新闻 Graduate School听of Education.听In October and November 2025, the听吃瓜新闻 Graduate School of Education (HGSE) Office of Student Affairs hosted training for students in partnership with the听Ombuds听Office called 鈥淐rucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue.鈥�听In November 2025, 110 吃瓜新闻 Graduate School of Education (HGSE)听staff听participated听in a pluralism training led by Interfaith America. The training used a higher education听case study approach to explore pluralism, its intellectual roots, its relevance to the HGSE community, and what it means for staff to help build that culture.听
• Constructive communication听skill听development.听吃瓜新闻 Radcliffe Institute (HRI) is hosting a two-session professional development program on constructive dialogue taking place in March-June 2026. The first program is on听Constructive听Communications听in the Workplace. The second will focus on Building the Conditions for Constructive Conversations. This is open to all HRI staff, including student-facing staff, and is intended to support creating a more thoughtful and inclusive work force at the University, with particular emphasis on skill development.听

Fostering constructive dialogue through programs, events, and initiatives

• Viewpoint diversity initiative.听In April 2025, President Garber committed to accelerating the work to听establish听a听University-wide initiative to promote and support viewpoint diversity.听

• President鈥檚 Building Bridges Fund.听Now in its second year, the听President鈥檚听Building Bridges Fund听(PBBF) funds student-led projects to听build听community听and encourage听engagement across听difference听among听students of different faiths,听cultures听and backgrounds.听This presidential initiative has funded听12 projects听from听the College and听graduate schools in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Academic Years.听

• Intellectual Vitality Initiative.听吃瓜新闻 College has continued to advance its Intellectual Vitality Initiative, an effort focused on promoting respectful dialogue, open and rigorous inquiry, and thoughtful listening through a series of events, programs, and curriculum offerings. Along with a听new website听to increase awareness,听additional听efforts include sponsoring civil disagreement fellowships for House tutors and working lessons about civil disagreement into the College鈥檚 Expository Writing class.听

• Institutional Voice Principles.听In May 2024, 吃瓜新闻 adopted its Institutional Voice Principles and will not 鈥渋ssue official statements about public matters that do not directly affect the university鈥檚 core function鈥� as an academic institution. Institutional statements on matters not related to the听University鈥檚 core functions risk creating an environment counter to the听University鈥檚 mission of being a community where open inquiry, debate and the careful weighing of evidence is embraced in classrooms and other settings.听听The University can and will continue to speak out on matters relevant to its core function, such as free and open inquiry, teaching, and research.听

• Open听inquiry and听constructive听dialogue听principles.听Following the adoption of Open Inquiry and Constructive听Dialogue听principles in October 2024,听the University听launched an Open Inquiry and Constructive Dialogue Implementation Working Group. The group听seeks听to share best practices and to work with Schools to support their efforts developing programs and tools to advance constructive dialogue, free and open inquiry, and viewpoint diversity.听More at听the听吃瓜新闻 Dialogues webpage.听

• Research into practice at Faculty of Arts and Sciences. As part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences听Civil Discourse Initiative and in collaboration with the Bok Center and the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics (ELSCE), FAS has developed a number of trainings and workshops for instructors designed to put faculty鈥檚 civil discourse-related research into practice, provide training to instructors on how to teach negotiation in courses across 吃瓜新闻, and provide scholars with instruction on how to overcome barriers to civil discourse.听听
• Pluralism Seminar. During the Spring 2026听semester, Office for Academic Culture and Community’s Executive Director听joined听a small cohort of faculty and senior administrative leaders in a four-part seminar that explored听the intellectual tradition of pluralism and its translation into organizational practices. The Pluralism Seminar was launched in response to recommendations from the Task Forces on Combatting Anti-Semitism and Anti-Israeli bias and on Combatting Anti-Arab and Anti-Muslim bias.听听
• Public Culture Project.听In fall 2025, the Division听of Arts & Humanities launched the Public Culture Project. The Project aims to听renew听shared public life by placing existential, moral, and even spiritual questions at the center of our public conversations. Public Culture events are typically organized around a听big question, discussed by people who听disagree听about it, with a humanist at the core of the conversation. The first event, 鈥淗ow is digital technology shaping the human soul?鈥澨�took听place in October 2025. Events in early 2026 have included 鈥淩eligion in the American Story鈥� on January 28 and 鈥淭he Public Intellectual in American Life鈥� on February 25, with several more to come.
• Faculty series on听civil听discourse and听teaching.听In Fall 2025,听the听Bok听Center launched a faculty lunch series on 鈥淐ivil Discourse and Teaching,鈥� open to all FAS faculty in Fall 2025. The series opened in November 2025, with a session on 鈥淐ompeting Viewpoints, Contested Facts.鈥� It continued in January 2026 with a discussion on 鈥淣orm-Setting for Rich Classroom Conversations.鈥� Its most recent听event听鈥淭raining听TFs听for Successful听Sections鈥� was held in February听2026.听

• Debate and discussion series from Edmond &听Lily听Safra听Center for Ethics and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Civil Discourse Initiative.听The Edmond & Lily听Safra听Center for Ethics (ELSCE) and Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Civil Discourse Initiative have ongoing programming typically open to the entire 吃瓜新闻 community, including 鈥淓thics IRL鈥� that includes public debates and discussions that span a range of viewpoints. In February 2026, it held a lecture on the topic of 鈥淔aith, Commitment, and Belief.鈥澨�听

• 吃瓜新闻 School of Dental Medicine working group. In听fall 2025, 吃瓜新闻 School of Dental Medicine听launched听a Working Group on Constructive Dialogue and Belonging charged to work intensively over nine months to develop practical recommendations to foster a culture of pluralism and belonging at HSDM and continue building capacity for constructive dialogue and open inquiry.听

• 吃瓜新闻听Chan School of Public Health Constructive Engagement Working Group.听In听spring 2025, the听吃瓜新闻听Chan听School of Public Health launched a Working Group on Constructive Engagement, with representatives from students, staff, trainees, and faculty. The working group is charged with developing practical recommendations for sustaining healthy pluralism at the听School听by nurturing an inclusive culture, encouraging open inquiry, and building capacity within all segments of the community to engage respectfully across differences.听

• 吃瓜新闻听Chan Studio Constructive Engagement Series.听The 吃瓜新闻 Chan Studio is hosting a series of events designed to model and encourage constructive engagement across differences.听听Each such event also includes discussion of effective tactics for working across the aisle to make progress.听听

• Intellectual Vitality and Free Expression Student Summit.听In January 2024, 吃瓜新闻 College and PEN America hosted the听听aimed at fostering open, productive communication.听

• Open Minds in Dialogue听Conference.听In October 2024, the 吃瓜新闻 Initiative for Learning and Teaching, along with the Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, hosted the 鈥淥pen Minds in Dialogue鈥澨�听focusing on challenges to free inquiry and how best to foster open, rigorous conversations in academic settings.听

• Fellowship in Values Engagement.听Since听Spring听2024, the Edmond & Lily听Safra听Center for Ethics (ELSCE) has been engaging in a Center-wide effort to expand its longstanding work on civil discourse, including a new听. In the 2025-26 academic year, ELSCE launched a new database of听.听

• 吃瓜新闻 Kennedy School Candid and Constructive Conversations Working Group.听Following the work of its Candid and Constructive Conversations Working Group, 吃瓜新闻 Kennedy School is implementing recommendations on building a stronger culture of engagement,听including through听new training modules on civil discourse and modeling difficult conversations.听

• Cultivating听constructive听dialogue,听deeper听conversations, and civil discourse听at 吃瓜新闻 Graduate School of Education.听吃瓜新闻听Graduate School of Education (HGSE) continues to prioritize public programming that models bridge-building, civil discourse, and constructive engagement across differences.听Initiatives and forums include听The Askwith Education Forum series, the Dialogue Across Differences听(DxD)听initiative, and听Skip the Small Talk sessions. All听are designed听to model constructive disagreement, pluralism, and respectful engagement across ideological, cultural, and civic differences.听The first Skip the Small Talk session for students was held in October 2025.听As of听spring 2026,听the Askwith Forums听include听Dialogue Across Differences (DxD)听Debrief sessions.听听

• 吃瓜新闻 Law School Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO).听吃瓜新闻 Law School is investing in professional development and community spaces related to dialogue, pluralism, and conflict resolution.听OEO has invited HLS faculty to offer programs to staff, including an annual intensive workshop on navigating difficult conversations, as well as a series of workshops related to mediation and resolving conflict.听OEO also hosts book groups on the topics of personal growth, curiosity, perspective, and dialogue across difference; and sponsors spaces for connection and听facilitated听conversations with 吃瓜新闻 chaplains.听

• Building belonging at 吃瓜新闻 School of Dental Medicine.听The Office of Student Affairs听was听recently expanded to encompass Community & Campus Life at HSDM. This office oversees the Community & Campus Life Leadership Program, which is a student leadership program that provides experiential learning and development activities to contribute to building community, awareness, and sense of belonging at HSDM, and promote a culture of role-modeling constructive engagement and bridge-building.听听听

• 吃瓜新闻 Medical School event on pluralism. In October 2025, the HMS Office for Culture and Community Engagement sponsored an event entitled, 鈥淲hat on Earth is ‘Pluralism‘听for American Life Today?鈥� The event was led by a 吃瓜新闻听Professor听with听expertise听on pluralism who is听the听founder and director of the Pluralism Project. The event was open to all 吃瓜新闻 ID holders, held in-person and via Zoom, and co-organized by the HMS Center for Bioethics, HSDM Office of Dental Education, and 吃瓜新闻 Chan School of Public Health Office for Community and Belonging.听
• Programming on pluralism and viewpoint diversity at 吃瓜新闻 John A. Paulson School听of听Engineering听and Applied Sciences.听The John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences鈥櫶�Office of Belonging, Engagement, and Community (鈥淥BEC鈥�) is听running听programming focused on pluralism and viewpoint diversity in the听spring听semester,听and听has already hosted听a Dean鈥檚 Dialogue in听February听2026.听听