Welcome to the Higher Education Leadership Learning Online (HELLO) Community

A global community for higher-education leaders who learn from one another, share practical solutions, and strengthen their institutions together.

What Is the HELLO Community?

The HELLO Community is a not-for-profit, member-driven space for sharing practical knowledge about leading and managing colleges and universities. Our resources are created by higher-education leaders for higher-education leaders, with a focus on what works in practice. Watch our nine-minute video for a comprehensive overview.

Why the HELLO Community Exists

The HELLO Community is grounded in three core ideas:

Reduce duplication of effort
Many institutions struggle with similar issues. By sharing resources and experience, we can avoid repeatedly reinventing the same solutions.
Accelerate adoption of effective practices
When leaders can see real examples, tools, and outcomes from other institutions, they can move more quickly and confidently.
Support one another as peers
Leadership in higher education can be isolating. HELLO is a place where leaders can compare notes, test ideas, and learn from colleagues who understand the context.

By pooling our experience, we can help institutions—and the students and communities they serve—thrive.

Who Is the Community For?

HELLO is designed for people who shape strategy, culture, and operations in higher education, including:

Presidents and chancellors
Provosts/Chief Academic Officers and their staff
Vice presidents/chancellors and their staff
Deans, department chairs, and program heads
Directors of centers, offices, and institutes
Leaders in institutional effectiveness, assessment, planning, student affairs, finance, and operations
Leaders of non-profit organizations that support higher education

The community is exclusive – you must be employed in, or retired from, higher education or its related organizations to be a member. If your work involves improving how institutions function, serve students, or plan for the future, you are in the right place.

What You’ll Find Inside

Inside the HELLO Community you’ll find a growing library of practical resources for higher-education leaders: the Sentient Knowledge Map, peer-reviewed articles and blog posts, shared files and templates, vendor and tool recommendations, member-curated reading lists, and an events calendar—plus groups, forums, and mentoring opportunities where colleagues compare notes and solve problems together.

Sentient Knowledge Map (SKM)

The Sentient Knowledge Map is a continuously evolving institutional model built in TheBrain concept mapping platform. It organizes roles, processes, structures, and practices across higher education, helping you:

See how different parts of the institution connect
Identify leverage points for change
Understand where specific tools, policies, and practices fit in the larger system

Peer-Reviewed Articles and Essays

Members share experience-based articles and essays focused on:

What they tried
What worked and what did not
Tools and documents that helped make it work

These pieces are lightly peer-reviewed for clarity and usefulness, and often include supporting materials such as policies, workflows, job descriptions, and spreadsheets that others can adapt.

Community Blog and Updates

The blog highlights:

New resources and tools
Member projects and case examples
Emerging issues in leadership and management
Announcements and community updates

Featured and recent posts appear on the home page, with archives available for deeper reading.

Groups, Forums, and MentorMatch

The HELLO Community offers multiple ways to connect with peers:

Interest-based groups and discussion forums
Opportunities to ask questions and share experience
MentorMatch for members who want to mentor or be mentored

These spaces support candid, practical conversation across institutions and roles.

Shared Resources and Vendor Directory

Members contribute and curate:

Shared files (job descriptions, contracts, case studies, analytic tools, and more)
A vendor and service-provider directory with member comments and ratings
Web sites of interest and practical application

These resources help you move more quickly from idea to implementation and make better-informed decisions about external partners.

Events and Opportunities

The events directory gathers:

Conferences
Workshops and institutes
Meetings and webinars

All events listed include a significant focus on higher-education leadership and management, helping you find Worldwide opportunities for learning and networking.

How the Community Works

The HELLO Community is a shared workspace for higher-education leaders. Members create a profile, explore organized resources (like the Sentient Knowledge Map, articles, files, events, and vendor reviews), and join discussions in groups and forums. By commenting, mentoring, and contributing their own tools and case studies, members collectively build a practical, field-tested knowledge base that others can adapt for their institutions.

1. Join and Set Up Your Profile

Whether you are leading a campus-wide initiative, improving a specific office or unit, or simply looking for ideas and colleagues to learn from, you are invited to participate.

Simply create an account, complete your profile, and let others know your role, institution type, and areas of interest. This helps members find and connect with you.

2. Explore Resources and Tools

Browse the Sentient Knowledge Map, articles and essays, books and websites, blog posts, groups, shared files, vendors, and events. Use categories and tags to filter by topic, audience, or function.

For community members, the Action Items panel contains the set of buttons shown in the screenshot on the right.

3. Engage with Colleagues

Comment on posts, participate in forums, rate resources, respond to questions, and connect with members whose work intersects with yours. You can also join groups or take part in MentorMatch.