Civil disagreement, engaged.
About the Partnership
The Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership (ICDP), established in 2020, is a growing national consortium of campuses working to strengthen the democratic practice of dialogue. Together, partner campus cohorts create opportunities for students to engage disagreement as a form of civic and moral learning.
Each institution selects a cohort of student fellows who study, practice, and lead conversations across political and social difference. Fellows come together each summer for an intensive, in-person convention where they develop skills in dialogue and facilitation, then return to their campuses to put those practices into action through events and initiatives that model curiosity, respect, and civic responsibility.
Founded in 2020, the ICDP rests on three core commitments: that democracy requires ongoing work and investment; that civil disagreement is a fundamental democratic practice; and that genuine civil disagreement begins with dialogue. These shared principles guide the program’s distinctive approach to character formation and civic engagement.
Join us.
Beginning this year, the Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership will grow its national footprint by welcoming new institutional partners into a broader network of dialogue-focused pods. Supported by a grant from the Educating Character Initiative, this expansion will allow more campuses to offer a year-long fellowship grounded in the practice of meaningful dialogue across difference. New partners will form pods of 4–6 diverse institutions, each preparing student fellows to engage thoughtfully across disagreement and equipping faculty and staff to bring these skills into their own educational spaces. As the network expands, the ICDP will foster an even richer community of practice committed to strengthening dialogue, promoting freedom of expression, and building cultures where civil disagreement can flourish.
Site recruiting for 2026-2027 has closed. Please stay tuned for more information about 2027-2028.