Reimagining higher education means recognizing institutions that set a new standard of excellence by supporting all students to complete affordable credentials of value that prepare them well to participate in the workforce, their communities, and our democracy. To that end, the Department has developed a new, national recognition program based on input from the field. 

For the inaugural year of this new recognition program, the Department identified 200 institutions as initially eligible to apply for the recognition – 100 predominantly bachelor’s-granting institutions and 100 predominantly associate or certificate-granting institutions. The application gathers quantitative data and qualitative information about how institutions use data and evidence-based practices as part of an intentional, campus-wide strategy to ensure all students are earning credentials of value, including underrepresented students. The deadline for application submission is 5pm Eastern on November 1, 2024 and applications must be submitted to PSRecognitionProgram@ed.gov.