At my first CASE conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland, I met a community of professionals who were generous and supportive. As a young professional in advancement, I found the network I developed through CASE foundational to my career. There was no question too trivial, no door closed. Decades later, I find this still to be true. Community is the essence of our work and has been at the core of our professional association since its inception. I felt it in Belfast and feel it every time we are able to connect and gather, either in person or by other means, with colleagues from around the world.

In the last few years, as I’ve connected with educational leaders from many continents, I’ve noticed that certain themes emerge time and time again. These include the future of education and educational advancement—including the importance of the diversifying of our profession and reconsidering our engagement strategies. We’ve talked about the optimal structures for our work, within our institutions and outside of them, as well as the critical role that ethical and authentic leadership must play. We’ve discussed different attitudes about the value of education, and we’ve deliberated upon future opportunities for philanthropic and alumni engagement. These are key issues that are critical to the future of our work.

Three years ago, I decided to embark upon a project around these core conversations about our profession and our impact and our opportunities across education. I wanted to give voice to a group of impressive international leaders working in and associated with our sector. The result of the project is Global Exchange: Dialogues to Advance Education, published this month.