Every year, the Western Academic Leadership Forum (Forum) and the Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders (Alliance) host an annual meeting. In the past, many of these annual meetings were hosted independently. As we work to shape the future of postsecondary education in the West, the Forum and the Alliance look forward to jointly hosting future Academic Partnerships Annual Meetings—convenings where chief academic officers and other senior academic leaders from 2-year and 4-year institutions, related system offices, and state coordinating boards can come together to exchange ideas, learn from one another, build meaningful partnerships, and collaborate on the opportunities and challenges shaping higher education across the region.

With the theme “Facing Complexity, Finding Solutions,” this meeting took place April 1-3, 2026, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Participants considered and discussed strengthening our collaborative leadership to discover solutions that advance higher education’s purpose, resilience, and impact.

With the theme “Leading the Resilient Community College,” this meeting took place April 15-17, 2026, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As community colleges continue to navigate evolving challenges — ranging from a shifting policy landscape and workforce demands to complex enrollment trends and technological disruption — participants explored bold ideas and practical solutions to address the dynamic situations faced as academic leaders and chart a path forward for institutions and communities.

This convening brought together the Western Academic Leadership Forum (Forum) and the Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders (Alliance) for a joint annual meeting of WICHE’s academic partnerships in Reno, Nevada from April 23-25, 2025. The theme, “Partnerships: Stronger Together,” was chosen to honor the two groups coming together. Participants considered how institutions can collaborate across institutions and departments and with workforce partners and policymakers.