Research & Collaboration
BHEF conducts research to create solutions that address our nation's most significant education challenges. This research identifies strategies and policy reforms that BHEF and its members advance in conjunction with partners and other organizations. BHEF's recent research has explored the need for enhanced recruitment, retention and renewal of the nation's math and science teaching workforce.
To amplify its impact, BHEF partners with other organizations, where appropriate. BHEF currently collaborates with a number of groups, including the Data Quality Campaign, Business Roundtable, U.S. Chamber, National Governors Association, Aerospace Industries Association, and America's leading universities and foundations, to advance its initiatives. BHEF is also part of the following coalitions: Business and Industry STEM Education Coalition, Business Coalition for Student Achievement (BCSA), STEM Education Coalition, and Tapping America’s Potential Coalition (TAP).
Current Research Projects
STEM Working Group co-chair and Raytheon Chairman and CEO Bill Swanson commissioned teams of Raytheon engineers to create a tool to help policymakers, educators, and researchers better understand the complex nature of the U.S. education system and identify potential solutions that could help the nation strengthen its leadership in STEM. With the assistance of BHEF and other experts, Raytheon engineers developed a prototype systems dynamics model.
In part of their work, these teams identified a number of promising approaches to test their potential for increasing the number of STEM-capable students and the number of STEM college graduates. In the next phase of the work, Raytheon will partner with BHEF, its members, and others on further model development, testing, refinement and analysis, and transition the model to open source use for the public.
To download a white paper summarizing the model, click here (pdf).
To view a presentation from the recent STEM Research and Modeling Network meeting, click here (ppt).
» August 13, 2010
President Obama Signs Spending Bill to Protect Teachers’ Jobs. BHEF applauds passage of the Education Jobs Bill.
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» August 11, 2010
Business-Higher Education Forum Statement on the Survival of BHEF Member and EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe
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» August 10, 2010
President Obama Cites Need to Restore U.S. Leadership in Higher Education; Names Three BHEF Member-Led Universities for Cost-Controlling Efforts. Calls on all college and university presidents to follow their example.
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» June 24-25, 2010
BHEF welcomed its members to Washington, DC for its summer meeting on June 24-25, 2010. Members heard from senior representatives of the Obama Administration on challenges and opportunities for education reform in upcoming reauthorization efforts and the challenges confronting long-term U.S. sustainability that demand strengthened STEM education.