The Institute works with institutions and other organizations to collect and disseminate research on promising practices and to assist schools in using data for institutional improvement and student success initiatives. A time-honored approach to improving effectiveness is for organizations to identify and adapt distinctive qualities that characterize their successful high-performing counterparts. All colleges and universities can benefit from educationally effective policies and practices that have been successfully implemented at similar types of institutions.
A primary goal of the Institute is to draw upon the work of its current and future research initiatives to help faculty, administrators, and governing board members discover and implement effective mechanisms for linking information about student experiences to efforts to improve academic programs and support services. The NSSE survey results point to student behaviors and institutional actions that schools can do something about almost immediately to improve the student experience. Toward these ends, the NSSE Institute will extend existing NSSE efforts by seeking practical solutions for institutional improvement. Institute associates are available to work directly with colleges and universities to offer the following services: