Lumina Foundation Awards $1 Million Grant to Institute for Evidence-Based Change in Support of Tuning USA
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumina Foundation has awarded the Institute for Evidence-Based Change (IEBC) a $1 million, three-year grant to support continuation and expansion of Tuning USA. Tuning USA is a faculty-driven process that makes explicit for students, faculty, family, employers, and all other stakeholders what students know, understand, and are able to do at the completion of a degree in a given discipline or professional program. The grant will support ongoing work with the American Historical Association (AHA), Midwest Higher Education Compact (MHEC), and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) as well as new efforts that include linking to the Degree Qualifications Profile. The work also includes an evaluation of Tuning in concert with partners engaged in Tuning Europe.
According to Jamie Marisotis, President/CEO, Lumina Foundation, "The exemplary work of IEBC on Tuning will have a very positive impact on Lumina Foundation's 2025 goal to have 60% of Americans holding high-quality college degrees, certificates or other credentials. Tuning represents an approach that will serve much larger numbers of students on a pathway to quality credentials. A key element is that it is a faculty-led process to clearly define the learning outcomes that are the backbone of higher education. The IEBC history of true collaboration with faculty across all higher education segments has made them an ideal partner for this work."
Brad Phillips, PhD, President/CEO, IEBC, said "Higher education institutions in Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Texas and Utah have Tuned a variety of disciplines at the three levels of associates, bachelor's and master's degrees. The IEBC team has been building on this work and is dedicated to continuing to do so across the nation and with additional disciplines, broadening and deepening the positive impact of Tuning for students and communities."
Dr. Phillips noted that a number of groups have approached IEBC about introducing Tuning USA to their disciplines or regions. "Most recently, this has included the State of Montana and they are now engaged in this work," he said. "We are proud to be Lumina's partner with the IEBC team bringing its expertise, experience, and demonstrated success in facilitating the Tuning process across the United States."
As a result of tuning, students, faculty, academic advisors, parents, employers, and other stakeholders are projected to know what skills students should have at each level, and the value of each degree is clear.
THE INSTITUTE FOR EVIDENCE-BASED CHANGE (IEBC)
The Institute for Evidence-Based Change is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving academic success for all students. Learn more about IEBC at www.iebcnow.org
LUMINA FOUNDATION
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation committed to increasing the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees, certificates and other credentials to 60 percent by 2025. For more information, logon to http://www.luminafoundation.org
SOURCE The Institute for Evidence-Based Change
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