Carnegie Elective Classification
for Leadership for Public Purpose
Rice University's Doerr Institute, in partnership with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teachingand the American Council on Education (ACE), has established the Carnegie Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose. View the full history of the partnership and Classification here.
What is leadership for public purpose?
Leadership for public purpose (LPP) is defined by a commitment to advancing the betterment of society and promoting the dignity and general welfare of all its members. LPP is reflected in coordinated institutional practices that enhance the development of ethical leadership capacity among all stakeholders in service of the collective public good. Further, LPP can be manifest in all realms of society, such as public and nonprofit institutions, neighborhood and community life, professional associations, private businesses, civil and government institutions, and religious organizations.
Institutions demonstrate commitment to effective leadership for public purpose in the learning, teaching, service, and research mission of their institution by:
- Embedding leadership for public purpose in the culture, structure, policies, and practices of the institution
- Cultivating the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for effective and ethical leadership in all institutional stakeholders
- Developing leaders to meet complex challenges in their careers, their communities, the broader society
- Advancing the scholarly understanding and professional practice of leadership for public purpose
- Measuring the impact of their efforts (individually, programmatically, and institutionally) toward developing leaders for public purpose
Apply for the 2027 Application Cycle
The Classification
The Carnegie Foundation's Elective Classifications require institutions to undergo a rigorous process of self-study from which they provide evidence of their institutional indicators including:
- Assessment of student learning
- Curricular and co-curricular offerings
- Faculty and staff rewards and contributions
- Mission statements
- Strategic plans
Institutions that demonstrate, through the evidence they provide, an extraordinary institutional commitment, receive the Carnegie Foundation's endorsement as a Classified Institution.
This new Elective Classification will begin the process of creating an institutional and sector-level continuous improvement process, grounded in the identification and sharing of best practices in leadership education and development that can be transformative for higher education.
Interested in The Classification?
Next Steps:
- Request more information about the Classification and the 2027 Application Cycle here.
- Join HigherLed, our consortium of higher education leaders, to learn more about the process and share best practices.
- Join our monthly Q&A session on Carnegie Elective Classification (see details in HigherLed).
Questions? Contact Carla Ortega Santori at Carla.Ortega.Santori@rice.edu