Paul Hanstedt, Ph.D.

About

With over two decades of experience as a classroom instructor, Paul Hanstedt serves as the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Innovation at the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR). A nationally recognized leader in teaching and learning innovation, Dr. Hanstedt is dedicated to reshaping higher education to better equip students for the complex challenges of the modern world.

Academic and Professional Background

Dr. Hanstedt is the author of:

• “Creating Wicked Students: Designing Courses for a Complex World” (2018)
• “General Education Essentials: A Guide for College Faculty” Second Edition (2024)

His recent essays include:

• Teaching the How: Three Ways to Support Failure (2019, The Teaching Professor)
• Might This Be the Beginning of Education? (2020, Inside Higher Ed)
• It’s Time to Get Rid of Distribution Requirements (2020, Inside Higher Ed)

He has collaborated with universities across four continents to drive curricular and pedagogical reform, including a Fulbright year in Hong Kong. Most recently, he served as a contributing editor for “The Teaching Professor” and was honored with the Association for General and Liberal Studies’ 2023 Award for National Leadership in General and Liberal Education.

Leadership at UMR

At UMR, Dr. Hanstedt leads the Center for Learning Innovation, overseeing teaching, learning and research while fostering collaboration within the UMR community and with external partners.

"I've spent the last decade focusing on helping students solve the complex, grand challenges they'll face after graduation. But that can't happen in a vacuum: you need an entire university that's built differently, that allows staff and faculty and students to all think creatively and intentionally about solutions no one's ever envisioned before. UMR is the rare university where this can happen."

Commitment to Higher Education

In an era of significant challenges for higher education, Dr. Hanstedt is committed to helping faculty rediscover the joy and curiosity that drew them to the profession—and to ensuring that same sense of wonder is passed on to students. This means:

• Expanding academic pathways
• Securing additional resources for faculty
• Cultivating a strong, engaged community dedicated to reshaping higher education for the benefit of students, partners and the broader region.