The Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development will host its 25th Anniversary Conference, April 24-25, at the University of Pennsylvania’s Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce St.

Drawing attendees from around the country, the theme of this year’s conference is “Anchor Institutions: A Regional Approach.”

The conference will offer workshops on topics including current and potential impact of Philadelphia’s anchor institutions; faculty engagement in West Philadelphia; multi-institutional collaboration; community-academic partnerships for research; building the local food economy; and working together to promote college access.

PHENND co-founder Ira Harkavy said, “Anchor Institutions: A Regional Approach” celebrates 25 years of relationships between higher educational institutions working together to strengthen local schools and communities across the Philadelphia region.

“This conference is an important step in continuing to advance the higher education civic engagement movement, strengthening regional partnerships that make a genuine difference in improving the quality of life in our communities. The essential role of anchor institutions as partners in improving their cities and regions is now widely recognized.

“PHENND,” said Harkavy, an associate vice president and the director of the Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, “has been and remains a leader in putting this idea into practice, serving as a model for higher education collaborations across the country.”

This year’s keynote speaker will be Lillian Kuri, the program director for architecture, urban design and sustainable development at the Cleveland Foundation, one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States and the catalyst behind the Greater University Circle Initiative.

Currently 31 institutions of higher education are members of PHENND, whose staff is housed at Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships.