Before the new semester settles into its familiar pace, there's an opportunity to step back and focus on the conversations that will shape the year ahead.

While calendars are still a little more open, we invite you to register for Chronicle Festival 2026, a free virtual event taking place September 10, 15, and 17.

This year's Festival, Building Trust During Change, brings together leading thinkers, The Chronicle's journalists, and colleagues from across higher education to explore some of the biggest questions facing campuses today:

• Can colleges rebuild trust?
• How do we reconned students with learning?
• Can AI  strengthen—not divide—a campus?
• What should the next compact for colleges look like?