The Francis Wayland Collegium for Liberal Learning was established in 1980 as a community of faculty united by a unique system of support for inquiries focused on global and interdisciplinary perspectives on significant issues of human life.

The Collegium's work proceeds in three closely related directions. First, it sponsors lunch talks by faculty on their research, and lectures by well-known outside speakers. Second, it sponsors grants for faculty study groups and seminars. Finally, it also promotes curricular innovations through a program of course development grants. Grant proposals can be submitted online. They are due annually at the beginning of the first week of February.