Higher Education Research Centers

International

Research Centers and Organizations – An Annotated List

Academy for Educational Development. Independent, nonprofit service organization committed to addressing human development needs in the United States and throughout the world. http://www.aed.org/

American Youth Policy Forum. Non-partisan organization concerned with American youth, school-to-work transition, and educational reform. Sponsors numerous educational forums and study trips. http://www.aypf.org

Brookings Center for Public Policy Education. Private institute that sponsors conferences and other educational programs for leaders in government, business, and other sectors. http://www.brookings.edu/

Campus Computing Project. The project’s national studies draw on qualitative and quantitative data to help inform faculty, campus administrators, and others interested in the use of information technology in US colleges and universities. Publishes annual Campus Computing Study. http://campuscomputing.net/

Center for Education Reform. National nonprofit advocacy group. Issues include standards, accountability, governance, finance, school choice, and charter schools. http://edreform.com/

Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (University of Southern California). Interdisciplinary research unit whose mission is to improve urban higher education, strengthen school-university relationships, and focus on international higher education, emphasizing Latin America and the Pacific Rim. http://www.usc.edu/dept/chepa/centerinfo.htm

Center for International Higher Education (Boston College). Provides information and analysis for those involved in managing the higher education enterprise internationally through publications, conferences, and the maintenance of a database of individuals and institutions. http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/Center.html

Center for Law and Social Policy. Education, policy research, and advocacy organization seeking to improve the economic conditions of low-income families and secure access for the poor to the civil justice system. http://www.clasp.org/

Center for Postsecondary Research and Planning (University of Indiana). Provides services to federal, state, and institutional policy planners and administrators in both public and private colleges and universities. Activities include consultation, resource management, training and development, and planning and evaluation services. http://www.indiana.edu/~rugs/ctrdir/cprp.html

Center for Research in Educational Policy (University of Memphis). One of five Centers of Excellence funded by the state of Tennessee. Implements a research agenda associated with educational policies and practices in the pre-K – 12 public schools and provides a knowledge base for use by educational practitioners and policy makers. http://www.coe.memphis.edu/coe/crep/crep.html

Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence (University of California, Santa Cruz). Designed to move issues of risk, diversity, and excellence to the forefront of discussions concerning educational research, policy, and practice. http://www.crede.ucsc.edu/HomePage/home.html

Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (University of California, Los Angeles). Conducts research on important topics related to K-12 educational testing. http://crest96.cse.ucla.edu/

Center for Social Organization of Schools (Johns Hopkins University). An educational research and development center that conducts programmatic research and development activities to improve the education system, develops curricula and provides technical assistance to help schools use the center’s research. http://scov.csos.jhu.edu/

Center for Studies in Higher Education (UC Berkeley) was established in 1956 as the first research institute in the United States devoted to the study of systems, institutions, and processes of higher education. The Center’s mission is to produce and support scholarly perspectives on strategic issues in higher education, conduct policy relevant research, promote the development of a community of scholars and policymakers engaged in policy oriented discussion, and continue the Center’s public service role as a resource on higher education
http://ishi.lib.berkeley.edu/cshe/

Center for the Study of Higher Education (Australia). Conducts research and teaching in the field of higher education. Website includes extensive listing of other higher education pages. http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/

Center for the Study of Higher Education (Pennsylvania State University). Aids in the formulation of higher education policy by providing studies, analyses, and reports relevant to decision making. http://www.ed.psu.edu/cshe/htdocs/overview/overview.htm

Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy (University of Washington). Consortium of five universities created to investigate the relation between excellent teaching and policy making at national, state, and local levels. http://depts.washington.edu/ctpmail/

Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (Boston College). Conducts research on testing, evaluation, and public policy studies to improve school assessment practices and international comparative research. http://wwwcsteep.bc.edu/

Center for Urban Community College Leadership (New York University). Focuses on the urban community college and provides fieldwork and internships. http://www.nyu.edu/education/alt/center/center.htm

Center on Education Policy. National advocate for public education and for effective public schools. Works to help Americans better understand the role of public education in a democracy. http://www.ctredpol.org/

Centre for Higher Education Transformation (South Africa). Interdisciplinary research and management center that conducts research and provides leadership opportunities for South African higher education. http://www.hsrc.ac.za/chet/

Community College Research Center (Teachers College, Columbia University). Frames critical questions concerning the fundamental purposes, problems, and performance of community colleges and to chart a course of strengthening scholarly research on the future of these important institutions. http://www.tc.columbia.edu/%7Eiee/ccrc/about.htm

Compact for Learning and Citizenship. Organization of state and district school superintendents working to improve student learning through civic involvement and the use of school volunteers. http://www.az.com/~pickeral/LC_overview.html

Consortium for Policy Research in Education. Members (University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan, and University of Wisconsin-Madison) conduct research on education reform, policy, and finance to improve student learning.

Council for Aid to Education. National organization dedicated both to enhancing the effectiveness of corporate and other private sector support in improving education at all levels and to helping education institutions more effectively acquire private support for their programs. http://www.cae.org/

The Higher Education in the Digital Age project at the University of California at Berkeley is studying models used by universities to create, finance, and disseminate online education.
http://ishi.lib.berkeley.edu/cshe/projects/university

EdSource. Nonprofit organization that provides analysis, data, and an explanation of issues facing California public schools. http://www.ecs.org/

Education Commission of the States. National research and policy organization providing resources to states on both K-12 and higher education. http://www.ecs.org

Education Policy Institute. Seeks to improve education through research, policy analysis, and the development of responsible alternatives to existing policies and practices that promote greater parental choice in education, a more competitive education industry, a more creative role for the for-profit sector, and other policies that address the problems of both public and private schools. http://www.educationpolicy.org/

Education Policy Research Institute. Private nonprofit organization that promotes business and community involvement in public schools through grants, awards, training, and development; by recruiting community and business volunteers to support public schools; and by conducting research and analysis of critical education issues. http://www.educationalliance.org/research.htm

Educational Policy Unit (University of the Western Cape, South Africa). Conducts policy studies, research and analysis, research training and capacity-building for higher education in South Africa. http://www.epu.uwc.ac.za/about.htm

EDUCAUSE. Helps to shape and enable transformational change in higher education through the introduction, use, and management of information resources and technologies in teaching, learning, scholarship, research, and institutional management. Note: EDUCOM and CAUSE merged to form this organization in 1998. http://www.educause.edu/

Edvancenet. Provides resources to keep policy makers and school leaders informed about issues that affect the use of technology in schools. http://www.edvancenet.org/

Higher Education Research Institute (University of California at Los Angeles). Interdisciplinary center for research, evaluation, information, policy studies, and research training in postsecondary education. http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/heri.html

Indiana Education Policy Center. Makes issues of Policy News & Notes, Policy Perspectives, and Policy Briefs available online. http://veritas.ucs.indiana.edu/~iepc/news.html

Institute for Education and Social Policy (New York University). Seeks to strengthen public education in New York City and other urban areas, particularly in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. Performs policy studies, research, technical assistance, and evaluations. http://www.nyu.edu/iesp/

Institute for Higher Education (University of Georgia). Service, instruction, and research agency of the University of Georgia. Cooperates with other agencies and institutions in the development of higher education; assists in the professional preparation of administrative, faculty, and staff personnel; and studies the organizational and functional processes of colleges, universities, and statewide systems. http://service.uga.edu/ihe/

Institute for Higher Education Policy. Nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization whose mission is to foster access to, and quality in, postsecondary education. http://www.ihep.com/

Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. Aims to apply research to pressing public policy issues and build problem-solving relationships between the academic and policy-maker communities. http://www.ippsr.msu.edu/

Institute for Research on Higher Education (University of Pennsylvania).. Center for research and policy analysis of postsecondary education in the United States, affiliated with National Center for Postsecondary Improvement and other agencies. http://www.irhe.upenn.edu/irhe/

Institute for Responsive Education. Sponsors research and policy studies to facilitate parent and community collaboration for “reinventing” schools and to bring about systemic change in U.S. public education. http://www.resp-ed.org/

Institute of Education (United Kingdom). Engages in research and scholarship of national and international significance, building on the institute’s strong research base; offers high quality, innovative postgraduate and post-experience teaching programs; promotes new ideas in policy and professional practice, provides consulting and other services to support the quality of education as a whole. http://www.ioe.ac.uk/

Internet Resources for Institutional Research. Comprehensive listing of organizations, publications, research, and policy tools for higher education administrators and researchers. Maintained by the Association for Institutional Research. http://www.airweb.org/links/

Learning Productivity Network (SUNY University at Buffalo). Research and policy center dedicated to improving student learning productivity in higher education. http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/org/lpn/lpn.htm

National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Nonprofit organization whose mission is to assist colleges and universities as they improve their management capabilities. http://www.nchems.org/

National Center for Improving Student Learning and Achievement in Mathematics and Science (University of Wisconsin). Crafts, implements in schools, and validates a set of principles for the design of classrooms that promote understanding in both mathematics and science. http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/NCISLA/

National Center for Postsecondary Improvement (Stanford University). Seeks to help institutions and policy makers adapt to a growing set of internal and external pressures, as well as to inform students, civic leaders, faculty, and administrators about emerging issues in higher education. http://ncpi.stanford.edu/

National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that seeks to provide leadership in the field of higher education. http://www.highereducation.org/

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (Harvard University). Assists in defining a comprehensive research agenda for the field of adult basic education; pursues basic and applied research under that agenda; builds partnerships between researchers and practitioners; and disseminates research and best practices to practitioners, scholars, and policy makers. http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/

National Center on Education and the Economy. Offers policies, tools, technical assistance, and professional development that people everywhere can use to design and implement effective standards-based education and training systems. http://www.ncee.org/

National Center on Educational Outcomes (University of Minnesota). Provides national leadership in identifying outcomes and indicators to monitor educational results for all students, including students with disabilities. http://www.coled.umn.edu/NCEO

National Research and Development Center on English Learning and Achievement (University of Albany, State University of New York). Dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of English and language arts. Research seeks to learn what elements of curriculum, instruction, and assessment are essential to developing high literacy and how schools can best help students achieve success. http://cela.albany.edu/

National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (University of Connecticut). http://www.ucc.uconn.edu/~wwwgt/nrcgt.html/

National Science Foundation. Independent Federal agency responsible for promoting science and engineering through programs that invest over $3.3 billion per year in almost 20,000 research and education projects in science and engineering. Site includes extensive information on education, including WebCASPAR, database system designed to provide quick and convenient access to a wide range of statistical data focusing on U.S. universities and colleges and their science and engineering resources http://www.nsf.gov

Peabody Center for Education Policy (Vanderbilt University). Seeks to improve education by advancing understanding among policy, professional, and general public constituencies with respect to the challenges, practices, and preferences that shape U.S. educational institutions. http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/pbdy_ctr/

Policy Analysis for California Education. Independent policy research center whose primary aim is to enrich education policy debates with sound analysis and hard evidence. Founded in 1983 as a cooperative venture between the schools of education at UC Berkeley and Stanford University. http://www-gse.berkeley.edu/research/PACE/pace.html

Policy.com. Web-based comprehensive public policy resource and community. Non-partisan, free service. http://www.policy.com/

Public Agenda. Provides non-partisan reporting on public opinion and public policy issues. http://www.publicagenda.org/

RAND Institute on Education and Training. Conducts analytic research and provides technical assistance to improve policy and practice at all levels and in all sectors that offer training and education in the United States. http://www.rand.org/centers/education

Regional Technology in Education Consortia. Helps states, local educational agencies, teachers, school library and media personnel, administrators, and other education entities successfully integrate technologies into K-12 classrooms, library media centers, and other educational settings, including adult literacy centers. http://rtec.org/

Thomas. WWW site for the US Congress. Extensive information on bills, status, appropriations, committee assignments and activities. Maintained by the Library of Congress. http://thomas.loc.gov/

TIMSS International Study Center (Boston College). Website includes information on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the largest international study of student achievement. http://wwwcsteep.bc.edu/timss

UC Santa Cruz Institutional Research and Policy Studies . Extensive, well-organized list of higher education resources. Of special interest to institutional researchers. http://planning.ucsc.edu/irps/stratpln/linklist.htm

U. S. Department of Education. Features information on programs and services, publications and products, grants and secretary’s initiatives, plus guides for teachers and a host of links to other education sites. http://www.ed.gov/

  • Office of Educational Research and Improvement. Provides national leadership for educational research and statistics.
    http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/

  • Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Statistics on enrollment and attainment.
    http://nces.ed.gov/ipedsearlyrelease/index.html

  • National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board. Works with the Assistant Secretary of Education and Office of Educational Research and Improvement to determine research priorities and evaluation standards.
    http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/NERPPB/

  • National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Management. The institute provides national leadership and support to develop and disseminate information that helps guide the design and implementation of effective governance strategies, coherent policy formation, reasonable management decisions, and equitable finance allocations that will support high levels of learning by all students.

    http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/GFI/

  • National Network of Regional Educational Laboratories. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement of the U.S. Department of Education funds ten Regional Educational Laboratories around the nation. These provide applied research and development projects leading to systemic school reform.
    http://www.sedl.org/RELs.html

Virtual Center for Research on Graduate Education. Information on graduate enrollment and degrees, policy, the labor market, research, and more. http://www.cgsnet.org/vcr/default.htm

WestEd. Nonprofit research, development, and service agency dedicated to improving education and other opportunities for children, youth, and adults. http://www.wested.org/

University Teaching: International Perspectives