AICAD – the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design – is a non-profit consortium of the leading specialized arts and design schools in the US and Canada. Founded in 1991, the mission is to help strengthen the member colleges individually and collectively, and to inform the public about these colleges and universities and the value of studying the arts and design. Key programs of the association include the Post Graduate Teaching Fellowship, the BIPOC Academic Leadership Institute, the annual Academic Symposium and the bi-annual Student Success Conference.