Together We Can Accomplish More: A Survey of Multi-Institution Consortia and System Leaders

The WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) has long been interested in multi-institutional consortia and systems that help their member institutions share resources with the goal of increasing the institutional capacity for technology-enhanced courses, programs, and student support services. WCET's Consortia Group has focused on the organization and leadership of these partnerships for many years, including face-to-face gatherings at WCET's Annual Meeting. WCET last conducted a survey of consortia in 2008, "The Funding of Academic Collaborations". WCET's Consortia Group determined that it was time to conduct another survey to benchmark the current and future state of consortia and system (i.e., the unit of a public system responsibility for these activities) work. There are enormous pressures on higher education institutions to respond to reduced state investments, flattened or lowered enrollments, increased competition, and lessened ability to increase tuition and fees. Working through multi-institutional partnerships, colleges can realize economies of scale, provide services they cannot on their own, and amplify their marketing reach. This report may help higher education leaders and government policymakers understand the opportunities that consortia and systems can provide. [For "The Funding of Academic Collaborations," see ED536191. The report received support from Wiley Education Services.]