People in the U.S. are rapidly losing trust in our major institutions (e.g., government, the press, religious institutions, the legal system) and their ability to be responsive, effective and serve the needs of everyone rather than a few. While universities are not exempt, they also remain one of the institutions most trusted to benefit the public.
The UW and other universities are ideal places to reimagine what today’s public institutions—school districts, city and local governments, libraries, health and social service providers, and more—need to be and do more to improve standards of living and quality of life. We research how public institutions work effectively, and actively develop solutions that help communities, policies and systems deliver results.
The UW will rebuild a culture of trust in public life by sharing research, applications, tools and practices that help institutions become more accessible places for democratic practices and problem-solving—in turn, strengthening civic values and culture. From meaningful ways of measuring a community’s civic health to research on everything from wildfire prevention to food safety, we will help policymakers and institutions better engage people in decision-making and problem-solving.
Helping people build the skills for civic engagement requires greater pathways to participation and decision-making, which in turn helps and requires our institutions to be responsive and effective—which is made possible when these institutions are supported by people who believe in dedicating their time to making public institutions work for everyone. Working together, the UW and its partners will help rebuild our nation’s trust in each other, our communities and our ability to create change through public institutions—in time, bending the arc of our communities toward our highest aspirations for civic health and justice.
Impact in action
The University of Washington has a number of current programs that are supporting trust-building efforts in each other and our public institutions. These programs include, but are not limited to, the following:
Center for an Informed Public
Working to promote an informed society and strengthen democratic discourse.
CoLab
Integrating evidence with community expertise to advance behavioral health policy.
Evans Policy Innovation Collaborative
Bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers and the public to co-design actionable solutions to complex societal problems.