Far too often students returning to higher education or moving between higher education institutions encounter significant barriers in transferring course credits and receiving recognition for prior learning. Part of this struggle is the siloed and opaque nature of information about how prior learning will be accepted and applied toward a credential upon transfer to a new institution. This session at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Conference will share insights on Transfer Explorer and CUNY Transfer Explorer, with…
Past Events
Catharine Bond Hill, John B. King, Jr. and David Brooks at the ATI Presidential Summit
Decoding the Path to a College Degree with Transparent and Actionable Credit Mobility Data
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning Conference
Aligning Targeted Financial Aid to High-Demand, High-Value Occupations
At the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), Ithaka S+R’s Elizabeth Pisacreta, Ini Umosen, and Jonathan Barefield will present preliminary data on states’ use of various types of industry-targeted financial aid. They will introduce the areas of focus of our case study, which will assess alignment between states’ financial aid portfolios and demand for high-opportunity occupations, explore how states develop and monitor targeted aid programs, and develop a framework to help states consider potential benefits and drawbacks…
Tools for Moving to a Holistic Approach to Credit Mobility to Support Adult Learners
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Conference
Student mobility is increasingly complex, with most graduates earning credits across multiple institutions and learning experiences. At the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Conference, a session will introduce Ithaka S+R’s holistic credit mobility framework, highlight Eastern Washington University’s work to modernize pathways for adult learners, and share practical tools to help institutions better support seamless credit transfer. Participants include Ithaka S+R’s Emily Tichenor, alongside Sue Magyar, Jacqueline Coomes, and Christi Harter. The session will take place on…
Building Strong Systems for Adult Learner Enrollment and Retention
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning Conference
This roundtable session at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Conference will explore the unique challenges adult learners face in higher education, including financial barriers, basic needs insecurity, and complex institutional systems. Drawing on research and case studies from Ithaka S+R’s adult learner engagement work in several states and the 2024 National College Fluency Survey, Ithaka S+R’s Liz Looker and Melissa Blankstein will discuss actionable strategies to reduce administrative barriers and improve cross-departmental communication, as well as ways…
Reimagining Support: How Colleges and Policymakers Can Serve Student-Parents, Transfers, and Scholars of Color
Council on Public Policy Higher Education Pre-Conference
“Academic Momentum and Credit Mobility: Examining the Role of CUNY Transfer Explorer” evaluates CUNY’s Transfer Explorer (T-Rex) as a systems-level policy tool to enhance academic momentum and credit mobility. Findings show that CUNY T-Rex use increases the number of courses applied toward degree requirements, suggesting that transparent transfer information can strengthen student pathways, reduce barriers, and advance equity in degree attainment. In a session at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)’s Council on Public Policy Higher Education…
Academic Momentum and Credit Mobility
Examining the Role of CUNY’s Transfer Explorer
At the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and Council on Public Policy Higher Education (CPPHE) Pre-Conference on November 12 at 9am-10:30am, Ithaka S+R’s Alex Monday will join David Wutchiett (CUNY) and Alexandra Logue (CUNY) to discuss how colleges and policymakers can serve student-parents, transfers, and scholars of color. The session will share findings from a study that evaluates CUNY’s Transfer Explorer (T-Rex) as a systems-level policy tool to enhance academic momentum and credit mobility. Findings show T-Rex use…
Leveraging Collaboration to Address Barriers to Adult Learner Re-Enrollment
In this session at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Conference in Memphis, TN, representatives from the Tennessee Adult Learner Working Group will share insights from their collaboration across ten participating community colleges that audience members can bring home to their own institutions and systems. Panelists Lindsay Hager, Jessica Gibson, and Joanna Dressel will share how the working group structured collaborations within and across institutions, what participating members learned about adult learners with SCNC, and how they…
Pennsylvania Adult Learner Re-Engagement Virtual Convening
Today, 37.6 million Americans under 65 have attended some college but hold no credential to show for it, due to financial, administrative, or practical obstacles. Against this backdrop, it’s crucial that higher education institutions redouble efforts to re-engage stopped out learners. Since 2022, we’ve worked across six states to streamline the path for adults on their way to a credential of value. In Pennsylvania, we’ve collaborated with the PA Department of…
Accelerating Holistic Credit Mobility – What is it? Why now?
The Credit Mobility Convening, hosted by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), will bring together stakeholders from Pennsylvania and surrounding states who care to improve credit mobility, with breakout sessions highlighting promising approaches related to improving transfer and credit mobility, technology tools to improve transfer resources for students, and granting credit for prior learning and military experiences. Madeline Trimble will provide an opening address laying out the holistic credit mobility framework and why it matters, and Pooja Patel…
Ctrl+Alt+Innovate
Transforming the Curriculum with AI
Integrating AI into undergraduate education requires contributions from across the university. In a roundtable discussion at the Educause Annual Conference 2025, Ithaka S+R’s Dylan Ruediger will join Benjamin Brand, Jan Lewis, and Kimberly Acquaviva to share how they are using AI and the unique contributions they can make to university goals related to AI. They will also discuss opportunities for collaboration across the university to support teaching and learning with and about AI. The session is scheduled for October…
Open Research, Open Science
Is Your Software Ready?
The research enterprise is increasingly reliant on open source software (OSS), propelled by the momentum of the open science movement and evolving funder mandates. However, many researchers lack the tools and frameworks to ensure long-term OSS sustainability. This August, the Apereo Foundation and Ithaka S+R, with support from the National Science Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative sustainability framework workshop, worked to help close this gap. The workshop brought OSS leaders from across higher education,…
The Liberal Arts in Challenging Times
Join us for a conversation on the future of the liberal arts in today’s uncertain and challenging times, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET. Hear from leaders in higher education as they discuss the value of a liberal arts education and strategies for strengthening it across the higher education sector. Register today Catharine Bond Hill, managing director of Ithaka S+R and former president of Vassar College, will…
Transfer Explorer
Early Successes, Lessons Learned, and What Comes Next
At the 2025 South Carolina Transfer Excellence Convening, Ithaka S+R will present a session on the early experiences and successes of South Carolina colleges and universities participating in the Transfer Explorer project. Emily Tichenor and Chris Buonocore will join Lloyd Willis (Lander University), Leslie Barrett Brown (Coastal Carolina University), and Crystal Edwards (Aiken Technical College) to share lessons learned from the pilot period and a roadmap for Transfer Explorer growth in the state and nationally. This session is scheduled…
The Transfer Scorecard
What Is It and How Could It Be Used?
Transfer student success is a function of many different factors. Some student and environmental characteristics increase the probability that a community college student will successfully transfer to and graduate from a bachelor’s college, and others decrease that probability. On September 30, 2025 at 10am ET, CUNY’s Bronx Transfer Affinity Group will host a webinar to describe some of these possible characteristics and how we have been able to use them to predict the likelihood of transfer student success for particular…
Beyond Knowledge
How to Optimize eBooks Collection Strategies to Meet Growing Access Demand
With the ever-increasing demands for digital resources and the ever-evolving needs of researchers, higher education libraries face tough decisions on how to allocate budgets effectively. In a webinar hosted by Elsevier, featuring Ithaka S+R’s Tracy Bergstrom, a panel will discuss various e-book purchasing and access options, focusing on how each model works, key considerations, and practical guidance on selecting the best fit for your institution’s needs. The panel is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at…
Looking Forward From Different Stakeholder Perspectives
At the FAIR Facilities and Instruments workshop, Ithaka S+R’s Dylan Ruediger will participate in a panel with Shawna Sadler (ORCID). The panel is scheduled for September 24 at 9:15-10:30am, and will take place at the NSF NCAR Mesa Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. See the full schedule.
GAI and Our Classrooms
In a webinar hosted by Princeton University’s McGraw Center for Teaching & Learning, Ithaka S+R’s Claire Baytas and Dylan Ruediger will present findings from their research on generative AI’s impact on college teaching and learning, alongside Sami Kahn (Executive Director of the Center on Science and Technology, Princeton University). This session is scheduled to take place on September 18 at 4:30pm. Learn more about the event.
The Chronicle’s Strategic-Leadership Program for Deans
Executive-Level Skills for Leading Through Tubulence
Ithaka S+R’s Martin Kurzweil will be leading a program alongside Carolyn Dever, George Justice, and Liz McMillen for the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Strategic-Leadership Program for Deans will involve discussions and workshops about the leadership roles of college deans and how to navigate the changing landscape of higher education, with seminars and workshops on fundraising, crisis management, networking, and much more. Register and learn more about the event, scheduled for September 2025.
Community Partnerships, Reentry, and Higher Education in Prison
RiseUp Virtual Conference
At the RiseUp Virtual Conference on September 8, 2025, Ess Pokornowski will participate in a session on “Community Partnerships, Rentry, and Higher Education in Prison.” View the schedule to learn more about the event.
Making AI Generative for Higher Education
Products and Uses
At the IDEA Institute for AI, Ithaka S+R’s Claire Baytas will give a keynote talk on “Making AI Generative for Higher Education,” discussing products and uses for AI. The session will take place on August 26 at 9:00am ET. See the full schedule to learn more.