Update – September 2025

Over the summer, we incorporated the “big bets” identified by the eight 2026-2030 AU strategic plan working groups into a focused working framework represented by what we are calling the five Cs: Community, Career, Civic Pluralism, Curriculum, and Curiosity (more details below). Earlier this month, we presented this framework to the AU Board of Trustees, who supported our direction and restated their commitment to invest strategically in AU’s bright future.

We are now entering the next vital phase of the process -- collecting feedback and input from across the Eagle community. AU faculty and staff are invited to share new ideas, missing pieces, ways to refine and consolidate, and suggestions on how to measure our success during feedback sessions on each of the 5Cs, to be held on the following dates:

• September 29 – Community
• September 30 – Curriculum
• October 6 – Curiosity
• October 7 – Career
• October 8 – Civic Pluralism

Additional feedback sessions will be scheduled at the school and division level, and with faculty, staff, and student governance groups and alumni leaders. AU community members are also welcome to submit feedback to strategicplan2025@american.edu.

This feedback will be synthesized into a draft strategic plan to be shared with the Board of Trustees in mid-November. Implementation of the final plan is expected to begin in January 2026.

Five Cs:

• Career: American University will support students with building meaningful careers and global engagement, leveraging advanced technology and launching a set of distinctive AU pledges to students to ensure opportunity for experiences. These initiatives will position AU as a national leader in professional readiness, global experience, student success, and equitable access to opportunity.
• Curriculum: American University will reimagine the core curriculum, building on our foundation in liberal arts to make sure every AU graduate will emerge prepared to adapt, drive change, and act for the greater good—whether in classrooms, labs, or communities. We will also explore introducing three-year (90-credit) undergraduate degrees and expand our cohort programs, including investing in the AU Honors Program.  
• Civic Pluralism: American University will lead the nation in transforming civic pluralism from an abstract value into a lived, measurable, and celebrated achievement. Through a bold integration of curricular innovation, experiential learning, research, and national leadership, AU will become the preeminent hub for preparing diverse students, faculty, and staff to engage in civil discourse, bridge divides, build community, and drive positive change in democracy and society.
• Community: American University will transform the student experience by making Washington, DC—and the broader nation—an integral part of campus life. We will leverage our location, our reputation for changemaking, and our commitment to experiential learning to ensure every student develops deep connections—to AU, to each other, and to the world beyond campus—through shared adventures, service, and measurable achievements.
• Curiosity: AU's road to R1 involved an effort to not create a tradeoff between world-class research and transformative teaching, and we must make the investments now to support both. Translating our research into enriching student learning, fostering faculty community, and generating actionable societal insights embodies R1 the AU Way—where the pursuit of knowledge and excellence in education are integrated, ensuring that research advances understanding without compromising transformative teaching or societal relevance.