American Council On Education

CONSENSUS LEADER ON HIGHER EDUCATION ISSUES & COORDINATING BODY FOR UNITED STATES HIGHER ED.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (ACE) HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROVIDING LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAMPUS LEADERS, INCLUSIVE OF PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND RESEARCH. ACE'S PROGRAMS AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT UNIT OFFERS A SUITE OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ENRICH THE CAPACITY OF INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUAL LEADERS TO INNOVATE, ADAPT AND PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY PRACTICE WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION. THE UNIT SERVES INDIVIDUAL LEADERS AND INSTITUTIONS BY LEVERAGING A SUITE OF BLENDED SOLUTIONS INCLUDING ACE'S TRANSFORMATION LABS, ACE FELLOWS, AND ACE SUMMITS. ACE'S TRANSFORMATION LABS GUIDE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS THROUGH A STRUCTURED, CAMPUS-WIDE PLANNING PROCESS TO ADDRESS PRESSING STRATEGIC GOALS. CURRENT TRANSFORMATION LABS FOCUS ON LEARNER SUCCESS, CAMPUS INTERNATIONALIZATION, AND VIRTUAL EXCHANGE. LABS ARE FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS AND/OR PARTICIPANT FEES AND INCLUDE CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT WITH ACE LASTING FROM THREE MONTHS TO TWO YEARS. ACE FELLOWS OFFERS AN IN-DEPTH YEAR-LONG IMMERSION IN HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP. A COHORT OF 30 TO 50 LEADERS ARE SELECTED EACH YEAR TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES A SERIES OF RETREATS FOCUSED ON ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, EXTENDED MENTORING BY EXECUTIVES FROM A HOST CAMPUS, COMPLETION OF SPECIAL PROJECTS AND ASSIGNMENTS TO TRANSFORM AND ENHANCE BOTH THEIR HOME AND HOST CAMPUSES, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH AND LEARN FROM A WIDE ARRAY OF CAMPUS LEADERS. PARTICIPATION IN THE FELLOWS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY PROGRAM FEES, GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS. ACE SUMMITS CONVENE HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS TO ADVANCE STRATEGY, CAMPUS PRACTICE, AND POLICY ON KEY ISSUES. SUMMITS TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON, IN COLLABORATION WITH HOST CAMPUSES. ACE'S COMMUNITY STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT UNIT FOCUSES ON FOSTERING PARTNERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE ACE WOMEN'S NETWORK AND THE ACE COUNCIL OF FELLOWS. THE COUNCIL OF FELLOWS COORDINATES THE ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, AND FUNDRAISING EFFORTS OF THE ACE FELLOWS PROGRAM ALUMNI. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1965, OVER 2,000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE ACE FELLOWS PROGRAM. THIS DIVERSE NETWORK OF ALUMNI ARE AN ONGOING SOURCE OF SHARED EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT FOR ONE ANOTHER AS THEY NAVIGATE CHALLENGES FACING THEIR INSTITUTIONS AND PROACTIVELY ENGAGE TO ADVANCE HIGHER EDUCATION'S OVERARCHING MISSION. THE ACE WOMEN'S NETWORK IS A SYSTEM OF STATE-BASED NETWORKS WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING AND ADVANCING WOMEN LEADERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION. ANNUALLY THE STATE NETWORKS REACH APPROXIMATELY 10,000 WOMEN AND SUPPORTS THE OVERARCHING VISION OF DIVERSIFYING THE HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP PIPELINE. THROUGH PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF ACE STAFF, THE STATE NETWORKS ENGAGE IN A SHARED MISSION OF IDENTIFYING, DEVELOPING, ENCOURAGING, ADVANCING, LEADING AND SUPPORTING WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION CAREERS. EACH OF THE AFOREMENTIONED UNITS EMPLOYS ACE ENGAGE, ACE'S DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT TOOL, TO ADVANCE PRODUCT DISSEMINATION AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS. ACE ENGAGE IS A RESOURCE TO FOSTER VIRTUAL PEER TO PEER NETWORKING AND LEARNING, AND OFFERS INDIVIDUAL LEADERS ACCESS TO A RESOURCE LIBRARY, WEBINARS AND ONLINE WORKSHOPS WITH EXPERTS.

ADULT LEARNING AND EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS:ACE'S LEARNING EVALUATIONS (FORMERLY CREDIT) HELPS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES GRANT CREDIT FOR WORKPLACE LEARNING AND TRAINING TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO AND SUCCESS IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. ACE VALIDATES A WIDE VARIETY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS FROM COURSES TO EXAMINATIONS, INCLUDING LANGUAGES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. THROUGH A CONTINUED CONTRACT WITH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, ACE REVIEWS MILITARY TRAINING AND EXPERIENCES TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION WHILE ENHANCING GOVERNMENT AND POSTSECONDARY DATA SYSTEMS AND VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY. ASSOCIATED SUPPORT SERVICES CONNECT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYERS TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR INDEPENDENT LEARNERS TO OBTAIN ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR FORMAL COURSES, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCES TAKEN OUTSIDE TRADITIONAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THIS WORK ENSURES THE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF NON-TRADITIONAL LEARNING AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERSERVED STUDENT POPULATIONS IN COLLEGE AND THE WORKFORCE.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS: COORDINATES AND PUBLICIZES THE EFFORTS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY IN REPRESENTING ITS POSITIONS AND CONCERNS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ACE'S DIVISION OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (DGPA) PREPARES TESTIMONY FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS, COMMENTS ON PROPOSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS, ADVOCATES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION PUBLIC POLICIES THAT WILL BENEFIT STUDENTS AND INSTITUTIONS, FILES AMICUS CURIAE BRIEFS ON COURT CASES WITH IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, AND UNDERTAKES PROACTIVE OUTREACH TO THE MEDIA, MEMBERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO RAISE THE VISIBILITY AND AWARENESS OF PUBLIC POLICY POSITIONS AND THE COUNCIL'S MISSION AND ACTIVITIES. A KEY BENEFIT OF ACE MEMBERSHIP IS ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS. DGPA CONTRIBUTES TO THE WORK ACE DOES PUBLISHING PAPERS, MONOGRAPHS AND RESEARCH REPORTS ON THE TOPICS OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID, DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION, ACADEMIC PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE, AND THE COLLEGE PRESIDENCY, AMONG OTHER TOPICS. ANOTHER MEANS OF DISSEMINATION OF THIS INFORMATION IS THE ACE ANNUAL MEETING WHICH IS AN IDEAL SETTING FOR NETWORKING WITH COLLEAGUES AND ADDRESSING FUTURE CHALLENGES OF HIGHER EDUCATION, INCLUDING IN THE PUBLIC POLICY ARENA.

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