The Exeter Humanities Institute is a five-day working conference primarily for secondary school English and History teachers. It is designed to explore the use of student-centered, discussion-based education that is loosely described as the "Harkness method" of teaching. Morning sessions will utilize essays on a common humanities topic to explore issues in leading discussions. Afternoons are spent in focus groups or in the Academy library doing research on teaching materials for participants to use in their home schools.

The selection of a core topic is intended to provide common content in the humanities as well as a focus for class discussions. The topics are broadly defined to encourage interdisciplinary exchanges. This year our topic is "Food."