Founded in 1918, the American Council on Education (ACE) Is the Nation's Unifying Voice

About ACE

Founded in 1918, the American Council on Education (ACE) is the nation's unifying voice for higher education. ACE serves as a consensus leader on key higher education issues and seeks to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives.

By fostering greater collaboration and new partnerships within and outside higher education, ACE helps colleges and universities anticipate and address the challenges of the 21st century and contribute to a stronger nation and a better world. Ourmembers and associatesare approximately 1,800 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher education-related associations, organizations, and corporations.

Mission Statement

ACE, the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives.

Where We Are Going

ACE aims to foster greater collaboration and new partnerships within and outside the higher education community to help colleges and universities anticipate and address the challenges of the 21st century and contribute to a stronger nation and a better world.

Three keystrategic prioritiesdrive ACE's activities:

(1) Representation, (2) Leadership development, and (3) Service.

ACE'sareas of focusinclude:

• Access, Success, Equity, and Diversity
• Institutional Effectiveness
• Lifelong Learning
• Internationalization

Representation

• Be the most visible and influential higher education organization in public policy deliberations.
• Identify emerging federal and state policy issues and assess their implications for higher education.
• Develop strategies to shape federal initiatives in student aid, scientific research, tax policy, and international education.
• Strengthen higher education's voice in public policy by developing a unified position on legislative and regulatory issues.
• Intervene in important judicial proceedings.
• Advance public understanding of higher education through the popular media and trade press.

Leadership Development

• Develop and nurture a diverse pool of future leaders.
• Support current higher education leaders.
• Serve as a resource center on leadership development, leadership, and the college presidency.
• Advance the work of leaders in fostering change.

Service

• Support higher education in the advancement of access and diversity, lifelong learning, and internationalization.
• Identify emerging issues and provide a forum for national cross-sector discussion.
• Encourage collaboration among institutions and with other organizations.
• Facilitate the transfer and award of academic credit for nontraditional learning.
• Enable adults without traditional high school credentials to enter postsecondary education.

Center for International Initiatives

ACE recognizes that global perspectives are critical to solving contemporary problems, ensuring academic excellence, and preparing a world-class workforce. Through its Center for International Initiatives, ACE offers programs and services that support and enhance internationalization on U.S. campuses, and works with international partners on higher education issues that have a global impact. The Commission on International Initiatives, an advisory body of ACE member presidents, guides ACE on its work in this area.

Programs and Services

Enhancing Campus Internationalization
ACE strongly advocatescomprehensive internationalization—a broad, deep, and integrative approach that enables campuses to become fully internationalized. The following initiatives help campuses promote internationalization.

• Leadership Forums
• Institutional Good Practice
• Institutional Networks
• Innovative Campus Strategies
  (web exclusive!)

International Engagement
ACE convenes U.S. higher education leaders with their counterparts from abroad, represents U.S. higher education abroad and supports higher education's engagement in institutional partnerships in developing countries.

• Global Dialogues
• Cooperation with Higher Education Associations Around the World
• Higher Education for Development
  This affiliate office assists the nation's six major higher education associations in building their partnerships with the U.S. Agency for International Development and in helping their member institutions foster development partnerships with colleges and universities abroad. (external link)

Advocacy
ACE works with national organizations and associations of universities abroad on issues of common interest. Current global issues are theGeneral Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)andquality assurance for cross-border education.

• DomesticEfforts
• InternationalEfforts

Resources
ACE serves as a resource on internationalization and global issues for member institutions and other stakeholders.

• Research
• Publications
• External Funding Sources
• Useful Links

Staff Contacts

ACE Organizational Chart