ACUE and ACE Deepen Alliance to Advance Excellence in Higher Ed Read more

ACUE and ACE Deepen Alliance, Marking Nearly a Decade of Transforming Faculty Development and Advancing Excellence in Higher Education

October 16, 2025
ACUE Editorial
ACUE and ACE Partnership Announcement October 2025

Washington, D.C. (October 16, 2025) — The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE) reaffirmed today their long-standing collaboration, first established in 2016, to continue driving transformative change in faculty development and elevate teaching excellence across higher education. This alliance builds on ACE’s endorsement of ACUE’s Effective Teaching Framework and reinforces a shared commitment to advancing evidence-based teaching as a key to institutional success. 

As colleges and universities navigate policy changes, funding constraints, emerging technologies, and evolving workforce demands, this collaboration signals a clear priority: equip faculty with the effective teaching practices that prepare students for the future and strengthen confidence in higher education. 

“Higher education is at a pivotal inflection point,” said Ted Mitchell, ACE President. “Amidst the turmoil and noise today – challenging times that demand clarity – we must wake up every day committed to an essential mission: educating students for tomorrow’s challenges. We can’t do this without great faculty who are properly trained and supported. While there are no easy fixes in education, the data clearly show that ACUE-certified faculty make a real difference and move the needle on student success.” 

 
Transforming Success at Scale 

The announcement coincides with the launch of ACUE Complete, a scalable faculty development ecosystem designed to meets the needs of instructors at every career stage that aims to elevate teaching practices on a broad, institutional level. 

Moving beyond isolated workshops, ACUE amplifies the vital work of teaching centers through a robust suite of offerings. These include a nationally recognized certification in Effective Teaching, foundational courses for new faculty and graduate assistants, and ACUE Commons—a dynamic community where educators connect, participate in live events, and access Quick Studies on cutting-edge topics like AI in higher education. 

“We are thrilled to deepen our relationship with ACE to advance faculty development,” said Andrew Hermalyn, ACUE Chairman and CEO. “It’s clear that great teaching is essential for student success, yet we haven’t fully recognized the urgent need to support educators with high-quality training. When faculty are confident and well-supported, student learning improves, and faculty satisfaction rises. ACE’s support underscores that prioritizing teaching is vital for building a resilient, innovative, and transformative future for higher education.” 

ACUE’s Research-Backed Impact 

With more than 600 institutional partners, 60,000 engaged faculty, and over 3 million students impacted annually, ACUE’s results are transformative at every level: 

  • Student Achievement: Students taught by ACUE-certified faculty achieve up to 7% higher grades, with Black, male, and Pell-eligible students seeing up to 13% higher grades. Students also experience 16% fewer Ds, Fs, & Withdrawals (DFWs) on average. 
  • Faculty Success: Following certification, faculty report a 25% increase in confidence using evidence-based practices, with 19% feeling more enthusiastic about teaching and 40% noting that students are more receptive to their instruction. Additionally, 36% report discussing teaching more regularly with colleagues, creating ripple effects across departments. 
  • Institutional Impact: Partner institutions experience up to 6% higher first-to-second-year retention rates and achieve a 2-5x return on investment, strengthening enrollment stability, institutional reputation, and long-term financial sustainability. 

Join us on October 29 at 3 p.m. ET for a fireside chat, Navigating Changing Tides: Strengthening Institutions Through Teaching Excellence, featuring ACUE Chairman and CEO Andrew Hermalyn and ACE President Ted Mitchell. Learn more and register here.  

About ACUE 

The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) is dedicated to student success through high-quality instruction. In partnership with higher education institutions, we offer the only nationally recognized Effective Teaching certification, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE), supported by a vibrant online community of practice focused on advancing teaching excellence. ACUE-certified faculty deliver exceptional teaching in every class, resulting in higher student engagement, improved achievement, and stronger retention—outcomes that enhance institutional impact and support long-term student success. Learn more at acue.org

About ACE 

ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member colleges, universities, and associations, ACE designs solutions for today’s challenges and advances public policy to support a diverse and dynamic higher education sector.ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities. Learn more at www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on LinkedIn american-council-on-education or X @ACEducation

Note: As an early investor in ACUE, ACE demonstrates its strong commitment to advancing teaching excellence and supporting innovative initiatives in higher education. 

Contact for ACUE: 
Gabriela Acosta, Sr. Director of Marketing  
gacosta@acue.org 

Contact for ACE: 
Jon Riskind, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Policy Communications 
jriskind@acenet.edu 
202-939-9453 

ACUE Editorial
With contributions from researchers, thought leaders, and subject matter experts, our editorial team is dedicated to providing relevant and thoughtful insights on effective teaching practices and student success.

More from ACUE

Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning: Why Community Colleges Invest in Faculty Professional Development with ACUE

Community colleges remain a critical component of the higher education system—providing pathways to education and the workforce for millions of ...

Read more

Preparing for the Future: The Impact of AI on Higher Education

Since the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI)—most notably ChatGPT—the general discourse in higher education has been a tale of ...

Read more

4 Ways Faculty Can Be Allies for College Student Mental Health

Mental health disorders are common, consequential, and largely untreated on college campuses. These findings are evident through data from the Healthy ...

Read more

Beyond the Icebreaker: Building Community in the Classroom

I’ve been fortunate to have that seemingly ‘magical’ class. You know the one—small, seminar-style setup with students actively engaged in ...

Read more

Navigating the Need for Rigor and Engagement: How to Make Fruitful Class Discussions Happen

Derek Bok’s great book Our Underachieving Colleges contains a passage that, ultimately, transformed my teaching. Teaching by discussion can also seem forbidding ...

Read more

Three Misconceptions About Using Active Learning in STEM

The first time I turned to active learning in my chemical engineering class was nearly 19 years ago. After two ...

Read more

Saundra McGuire: Strategies to Teach Students How to Learn

As a chemistry professor and leading expert in learning strategies, Dr. Saundra McGuire has spent her career working to empower ...

Read more

Techniques to Help Underprepared Students Learn More

“Instruction is the core of any developmental education strategy,” Thomas Bailey and Shanna Smith Jaggars write in “When College Students ...

Read more

Let’s Connect!