Ashoka U Reflections

Peer-driven Change: Announcing the Inaugural Ashoka U Changemaker Campus Review Council

For Immediate Release: November 1, 2022

Changemaker Campus Overview

The Leading Designation for Social Innovation in Higher Education  

Ashoka U confers the Changemaker Campus Designation on leading institutions in social innovation and changemaking in higher education. These campuses are re-envisioning the role of higher education in society as major drivers of societal impact and are leading the way through the impact they have on students, and on both local and global communities. 

While they differ in terms of size, institutional type, geographic location, religious affiliation, and age, they are global leaders in social innovation and changemaking in, through, and for higher education. 
Learn more about the 42 Changemaker Campuses here. 

Evolving the Model

Ashoka U’s Changemaker Campuses are recognized as leading institutions in social innovation and changemaking in higher education. To receive this formal designation, Changemaker Campuses must demonstrate comprehensive and ongoing commitment to innovation for societal impact through visionary leadership, excellence in Changemaker education (curriculum, co-curriculum, pedagogy and research) institutional culture and a commitment to building the field. They empower students, faculty, staff, and leaders across the institution to be changemakers, firmly embed changemaking into their culture and operations, and work to address both local and global challenges.  

The process of designating a college or university as an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus is rigorous and multi-faceted. To ensure that an institution continues to meet the high standards of this designation, their commitments to changemaking and continued societal impact are reviewed every few years. 

As higher education and Ashoka U move forward in a world forever transformed, the process for renewing the designation of a Changemaker Campus must also evolve. The new model must be peer-driven and focused on impact. 

We are pleased to introduce the members of the inaugural Ashoka U Changemaker Campus Review Council. They are subject matter experts dedicated to ensuring the rigor and quality of the designation while encouraging innovative and contextually appropriate methods of integrating changemaking into a campus’ DNA and driving local and global social impact. Review Council members are working closely with Ashoka U and Ashoka Canada over the next year to pilot the next iteration of the Ashoka U renewal process, and review and refine the renewal process (including the increased focus on peer review) to ensure the quality of the Changemaker Campus designation going forward. 

Inaugural Ashoka U Changemaker Campus Review Council Members

The work of this council is being led by Heather MacCleoud, Chief Network Officer, Ashoka U and Charmaine Lyn, Director of Changemaker Education, Ashoka Canada. 

Learn more about Changemaker Campuses.