What We Do

As a nonpartisan global research and policy center, the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) serves as a resource for government agencies, higher education organizations, philanthropic foundations, and others committed to increasing access and success in postsecondary education. IHEP innovates, educates and leads—offering policy recommendations and unique research in order to foster solutions to the access and success challenges facing today’s students.  

• IHEP Innovates—IHEP provides the field with quality data and research that sparks innovation and trends in key areas. At nearly 400 postsecondary institutions, including community colleges and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), IHEP has prompted pedagogical and curricular reforms, the use of data and metrics for institutional improvement and accountability, and the creation of public–private partnerships to leverage resources. 
• IHEP Educates—Educating policymakers, postsecondary leaders, and key partners about the value of higher education, especially for underserved populations, is of paramount importance. Because of this, IHEP centralizes the experiences of underserved students in all its work. As a result, underserved students continue to be featured prominently in national policy dialogues.
• IHEP Leads—IHEP leads the field and harnesses its diverse networks toward the recognition and advancement of successful strategies for educating today’s students and preparing them for the workforce. IHEP leverages its own skills and resources by building strategic partnerships with national and international policy and education experts.

IHEP’s imprint on issues of college access and success is indelible. Because of the organization’s ability to investigate innovative research questions, educate policymakers and key constituents on a wide array of topics, and demonstrate consistent leadership in the field, IHEP is recognized as a formidable advocate for underserved students.