Resources
Technical Report
Data from the Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey (IDEALS) revealed the institutional policies, institutional practices, and student experiences that contribute to welcoming campus climates for different religious, secular, and spiritual identities, and these findings informed the development of the INSPIRES items. This report describes the full process of how IDEALS informed INSPIRES and the weighting process for assigning the star scores for each domain on the Index.
Data Snapshots
Anyone interested in the “big picture” of institutional policies, institutional practices, and student experiences across North American higher education should access this resource, which includes data collected from 2021-2023. The Data Snapshot is updated annually in the Spring.
Responding to World Events
Our team captured institutional responses to the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the immediate aftermath, as well as to campus protests in the months that followed through the Spring of 2024. These snapshots offers takeaways and recommendations to encourage greater dialogue around world events that have a religious dimension.
Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey
The Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey (IDEALS) was a groundbreaking national study of religious diversity in higher education. Students on 122 U.S. campuses — including liberal arts colleges, religiously affiliated institutions, and public universities — participated in IDEALS from 2015–2019. At three points in their college careers, they were asked about their on-campus interfaith experiences, their knowledge and appreciation of different worldviews, and their commitment to bridging religious divides.
Interfaith America
Interfaith America is a national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring, equipping, and connecting leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity. Their team offers tools, resources, and expertise for supporting pluralism and interfaith cooperation in higher education and helps campuses translate INSPIRES results into meaningful change on campus. You can connect directly with an Interfaith America staff member by emailing info@interfaithamerica.org.