Midwestern Higher Education Compact

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) brings together midwestern states to develop and support best practices, collaborative efforts, and cost-sharing opportunities. Through these efforts it works to ensure strong, equitable postsecondary educational opportunities and outcomes for all. MHEC seeks to improve individual career readiness and regional economic vitality through collective problem-solving and partnerships that strengthen postsecondary education. Member states are: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. MHEC works with and for a variety of stakeholders within and across member states, including higher education system leaders, state policymakers, legislators, and institutional leaders, while always maintaining a focus on students and their success. MHEC’s strategic approach highlights member states’ strong desire for collaboration, effectiveness, and efficiency. MHEC believes that collaborative actions informed by research and best practices are the catalyst for improving quality, accessibility, relevance, and affordability of postsecondary educational opportunities. MHEC does this primarily through the following approaches: convenings, programs, research, and cost-savings contracts. Increasingly, MHEC looks to leverage these approaches in conjunction with each other to serve its strategic priorities. Each member state appoints five individuals to a 60-member governing body of legislators, higher education leaders, and governors’ representatives. Member state obligations, program fees, and foundation grants finance MHEC activities and support initiatives to increase regional collaboration and achieve outcomes that could not be realized by institutions and systems acting independently.