Part of the Duke University Future Universities Alliance
June 2026 – Drew University has been selected to be part of Duke University’s inaugural Innovation Sandbox cohort. Drew is among the highly-exclusive group of only 49 institutions across 23 countries spanning five continents making up the inaugural cohort.
The Innovation Sandbox is a 12-month peer learning program for institutions advancing ambitious, institution-shaping innovation in higher education.
The program is part of the Future Universities Alliance, a global learning network incubated by Duke University which connects forward-thinking institutions through shared learning, coordination, and collective experimentation.
“Drew University is incredibly honored to be chosen to participate in this exciting new venture,” said Drew President Hilary L. Link, PhD.
“At Drew, we are constantly thinking and rethinking about the changing landscape of higher education and our own place in it. To be selected to take part in the Innovation Sandbox’s inaugural cohort is a testament to how Drew is viewed as a leader in charting the future of higher education, and how we are already at work putting big ideas into practice. As we work with fellow innovators, we look forward to accelerating our own work and learning through this amazing collaborative opportunity.
The program will bring together startup institutions, established institutions advancing early-stage innovations, and institutions with signature innovations exploring how their models can extend responsibility through adaptation, partnerships, or networks.
In the Sandbox, Drew will work on scaling its current work in the new innovation college focused on human-centered mentoring and individualized learning. Drew will engage within a small facilitated group of peer institutions, participate in structured milestone conversations, and be part of the Alliance Global Summit in Durham, NC, in October 2026.
The invitation to join the Innovation Sandbox comes on the heels of Drew’s becoming a member of the LearningWell Coalition through the University’s newly-launched college reimagining higher education around human connection, purpose, and lifelong learning. As a member of the LearningWell Coalition, Drew will contribute to and benefit from a national network of institutions advancing evidence-based, learner-centered approaches that prepare students to flourish in work and in life.
