Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy

Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy
Name	Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy
Formation	1990s
Type	Think tank

Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy is a policy research and leadership development organization focusing on postsecondary administration, student affairs, institutional governance, and public policy affecting colleges and universities. It conducts applied research, offers executive education, and advises state agencies, legislative bodies, and philanthropic foundations. The institute engages with university presidents, trustees, state higher education executives, and accreditation agencies across regions and national networks.

History and founding

The institute emerged during debates in the 1990s involving stakeholders such as Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, and state systems like the California State University and the University of Texas System about accountability and access. Founding actors included leaders from American Council on Education, Lumina Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and state policymakers responding to reports from commissions such as the Spellings Commission and the National Commission on Postsecondary Education. Early work intersected with legislation like the Higher Education Act of 1965 reauthorizations and initiatives tied to the Gates Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and regional compacts like the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

Mission and goals

The institute’s stated mission aligns with priorities promoted by entities including Council for Higher Education Accreditation, National Governors Association, and the Education Trust. Goals emphasize leadership development for chief executives similar to programs at Harvard University's Harvard Kennedy School, Stanford University's executive education, and Brookings Institution policy analysis. Objectives include improving institutional effectiveness in contexts shaped by decisions from bodies such as the U.S. Department of Education, state legislatures like the California State Assembly, and oversight by boards akin to the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan.

Organizational structure and leadership

The institute is structured with a board comprising representatives from organizations like the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Association of American Universities, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and trustees from systems including the Indiana University and the University of North Carolina System. Executive leadership has included former presidents and provosts who served at institutions such as Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Virginia, and Columbia University. Staff roles link to professional associations such as the Association for Institutional Research, NASPA, and the American Educational Research Association, and governance often models practices from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Programs and initiatives

Programs mirror leadership pipelines similar to initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation and Ford Foundation grant programs, offering fellowships, certificate courses, and convenings in partnership with entities like Council of State Governments and the National Conference of State Legislatures. Initiatives address student success efforts aligned with Achieving the Dream, completion strategies promoted by Complete College America, and performance frameworks influenced by Voluntary System of Accountability metrics. Workshops often draw speakers from universities such as Princeton University, Yale University, Duke University, and from policy centers including New America and Urban Institute.

Research and publications

Research spans topics that intersect with analyses by National Bureau of Economic Research, Pew Research Center, and reports comparable to studies from RAND Corporation and SRI International. Publications include policy briefs, working papers, and monographs that reference enrollment trends studied at University of Michigan and financial models used by the Ivy League institutions like Harvard University and Princeton University. Research topics intersect with accreditation standards promulgated by Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and regulatory debates involving the Office of Postsecondary Education.

Partnerships and collaborations

The institute collaborates with state systems such as the California Community Colleges, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and interstate consortia like the New England Board of Higher Education. It partners with philanthropic organizations exemplified by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and with research organizations such as Teachers College, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University's centers, and the Institute for Research on Higher Education at University of Pennsylvania. Collaborations extend to accreditation bodies including the Higher Learning Commission and policy networks like State Higher Education Executive Officers Association.

Impact and evaluations

Evaluations of the institute’s impact are conducted by external reviewers similar to assessments by KPMG, McKinsey & Company, and academic audits from faculties at University of California, Berkeley and University of Oxford. Reported outcomes include influence on state policy changes, leadership pipelines feeding institutions such as Michigan State University and University of Washington, and contributions to statewide initiatives like those in Florida and Ohio. Independent analyses reference metrics used by National Student Clearinghouse, graduation-rate comparisons with Colorado Commission on Higher Education, and adoption of practices recommended in synthesis reports by Education Commission of the States.

Category:Higher education think tanks