The Academies
The Academies are programs aimed at assisting HLC-accredited institutions to define, develop and implement comprehensive strategies for institutional improvement. Designed and led by experienced practitioners, the Academies provide a framework and guidance for institutions to address leading areas of concern in higher education. The programs are adaptive to the needs of the wide range of institutional types served by HLC and support improvement within the context of an institution’s mission, vision and goals.
Academy participation may serve as the Quality Initiative for institutions in the Open Pathway. Participation in the Academies does not guarantee the successful completion of a Quality Initiative. The Academies also may be completed in conjunction with other improvement programs offered by nonprofits or to meet locally mandated initiatives. Additionally, institutions may choose to focus Academy Projects on addressing issues identified as areas for improvement by HLC evaluations or by institutions themselves.
Assessment Academy
The Assessment Academy is tailored for institutions interested in developing an ongoing commitment to assessing and improving student learning. The Academy offers each institution personalized guidance in developing, documenting and implementing a systematic approach to institutional assessment. Institutions participating in the Assessment Academy are presented with new ideas and techniques for influencing institutional culture, increasing capacity to assess student learning and using assessment data to improve student learning.
Applications for the spring 2022 cohort of the Assessment Academy are now open!
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Assessment Academy Information
Student Success Academy
The Student Success Academy is designed for institutions seeking to establish sustainable structures that support students’ achievement of their higher education goals. The Academy offers a structured program for institutions to understand their resources and priorities and the realities of their student populations. Participating institutions will learn how to create campus-wide engagement in supporting student success and embed student success into the values and practices of the institution in order to help students, especially underserved populations, achieve their potential.
Student Success Academy Information
Academy Features and Benefits
Throughout the multi-year Academy experience, institutions receive access to:
- Face-to-face events in which institutions receive guidance from Academy mentors and Scholars while conducting focused teamwork.
- SparQ—a new online platform for project management, resource sharing, discussion and discovery, where participants can be inspired by new ideas and build a community of shared learning.
- Webinar series providing program support and research findings on promising practices (Student Success Academy only).
- Opportunities to network and share promising practices with institutions from across the HLC region.
Mentors and Scholars
HLC retains a group of practitioners with experience leading assessment and student success efforts at a wide range of institutional types. Known as Academy mentors, these practitioners guide participating institutions in developing and implementing their Academy Project. Each institution is assigned a Primary Mentor who provides detailed, constructive criticism and advice on the progress of their Academy work.
Institutions also interact with Scholars during Academy participation. These subject-matter experts design the curriculum and activities for all of the Academy events, and offer an additional perspective on institutions’ project development.
Shared Learning Experience
The Academy structure presents institutions with regular opportunities to collaborate and share their ideas throughout the Academy cycle. Institutions are able to interact with their fellow cohort members and other Academy teams at Academy events, at HLC’s annual conference and through SparQ.