Leading Edge Webinar: Driving Innovation from the Top
What does it take to lead transformative innovation in higher education?
In this dynamic webinar, Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner will facilitate a panel discussion featuring provosts who have successfully implemented groundbreaking changes on their campuses. Through candid conversations, panelists will share personal stories and actionable insights on fostering a culture of creativity, building coalitions, and navigating the complexities of academic governance. Learn how to spark bold ideas, overcome resistance, and drive innovation that inspires and endures. This session is designed for leaders who want to leave a lasting impact on their institutions and create pathways for sustainable growth and transformation.
Senior Higher Education Leader | Author | Scholar | Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner is an experienced senior higher education leader, having most recently served as Provost & Executive Vice President at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington (2020-2024). Currently, on sabbatical editing The Provost's Handbook, which will be published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 2025, he is also working on his tenth book, EDU 2.0: Future-Proofing Higher Education with Integrative Learning.
Prior to joining Whitworth, he was Acting Provost, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Humanities at North Park University in Chicago (2016–2020). Earlier in his career, he was Chair of the Department of Languages and Linguistics (2006–2012) and Professor of German and Linguistics at Gordon College (2003–2016), where he received the Distinguished Junior Faculty Award in 2006.
A Past President of the Association of Chief Academic Officers, he is currently a Special Advisor to the Board. He serves on the Board of the American Association of University Administrators (2024-2027) and was also on the CAO Institute Taskforce of the Council of Independent Colleges (2023–2024). Previously, he served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (2017–2019), President of the Austrian Studies Association (2018–2020), and a Board Member of ACAD (2018–2023). From 2017–2020, he was a Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and since 2020, he has been chairing accreditation site visits for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Thuswaldner holds degrees in German and English Studies from the University of Vienna and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Ph.D.) and has an additional Master's in Higher Education Administration from North Park University in Chicago. As a committed lifelong learner, he has earned several certificates, including certificates in Fund Raising Management (Lilly School of Philanthropy, Indiana University) and Mediation Skills Training (Northwestern University).
An elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a Leadership Fellow of the Society of Leadership Fellows at St. George's House, Windsor Castle, Thuswaldner also serve as an advisory board member of the Stefan Zweig Centre at the University of Salzburg, Austria, and as a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Austrian Studies, Delos: A Journal of Translation and World Literature, and the Journal of Higher Education Management.