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
