About the Center for Excellence in Higher Education

The Center for Excellence in Higher Education (CEHE) was established in 2006 by a small group of philanthropists who have donated millions of dollars to U.S. colleges and universities and were concerned about the growing challenges facing higher education in America. Its original purpose was to educate the public about the state of higher education in America and help donors promote excellence in higher education through philanthropy.

From 2007-2012, CEHE operated as a public charity. It conducted a series of research programs and supported faculty interested in improving higher education at universities around the country and internationally. CEHE also engaged in several important research projects, acting in the background to help philanthropists who wanted to promote structural reform of higher education more generally.

In 2012, CEHE identified a unique opportunity. The proprietor of Stevens-Henager College, College America, Independence University, and California College San Diego shared much of the same vision for improving higher education as the founders of CEHE. The schools themselves embodied many of the principles CEHE sought to promote in its efforts to improve higher education. It was a perfect match. On December 31, the colleges were merged into CEHE, which was restructured as a 501(c)(3) educational organization.

Going forward, CEHE will continue to work to make dramatic improvements in higher education in America. But rather than focusing that work simply on advocating for change, CEHE, through its colleges, will be actively involved in providing outstanding educational opportunities to the thousands of students it now serves.

The face of higher education is changing rapidly. In the future, institutions of higher education will have to operate efficiently, focus on providing the kind of high quality education students want and employers demand, and adapt to the flexible learning environments which technology is making possible. CEHE’s colleges are already doing this, and are leaders in the area. By merging with CEHE, the colleges will be able to expand and offer even more students a firm path to career success. Having merged with CEHE, the colleges are able to expand and offer even more students a firm path to career success.