The emergence of university rankings: a historical‑sociological account

Nowadays, university rankings are a familiar phenomenon in higher education all over the world. But how did rankings achieve this status? To address this question, we bring in a historical-sociological perspective and conceptualize rankings as a phenomenon in history. We focus on the United States and identify the emergence of a specific understanding of organizational performance in the postwar decades. We argue that the advent of this understanding constituted a discursive shift, which was made possible—most notably but not solely—by the rise of functionalism to the status of a dominant intellectual paradigm. The shift crystallized in the rankings of graduate departments, which were commissioned by the National Science Foundation and produced by the American Council on Education (ACE) in 1966 and 1970. Throughout the 1970s, social scientists became increasingly more interested in the methods and merits of ranking higher education institutions, in which they would explicitly refer to the ACE rankings. This was accompanied by a growing recognition, already in the 1970s, that rankings had a place and purpose in the higher education system—a trend that has continued into the present day.

For whom are we internationalizing? A call to prioritize second language learning in internationalization efforts

Since the emergence of models and frameworks for college and university internationalization in the early 1990s, post-secondary world language education has remained a core dimension of internationalization in theory (American Council on Education, no date; Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2007; Hudzik, 2011; Rudzki, 1995; Spencer-Oatey and Dauber, 2016). Yet a report by the American Council on Education (ACE, 2017) found that, in actuality, most institutions have afforded little attention to developing students’ second language proficiency despite the considerable benefits of language learning experiences to prepare learners for the challenges of a global workforce in the 21st century. This article argues that developing an informed intercultural mindset paired with proficiency in at least one language other than English is essential for graduates to take advantage of the many professional, societal, and educational opportunities of today’s global community. To this end, we urge internationalizing post-secondary institutions with an interest in providing students with second language skills and the relevant educational experiences for which leading language organizations consistently advocate (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2015a, 2015b; Modern Language Association, 2007).

Education Abroad Co-Curricular Experiences That Result in Intercultural Responsive Leadership Growth

Simpson supported that The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) and their joint effort with the American Council on Education and the federal government have found that study abroad has a huge impact on a students' development as globally diversity-minded citizens. Study abroad improves many intellectual attitudes and skills. Collaboration between co-curricular involvements, diverse experiences, integrated learning experiences, intent study abroad, the first-year experience, and others are critical strategic initiatives that impact students' development and their global awareness.

A review of methods to assess the economic impact of distributed medical education (DME) in Canada

Background: Canadian distributed medical education (DME) increased substantially in the last decade, resulting in positive economic impacts to local communities. A reliable and simple method to estimate economic contributions is essential to provide managers with information on the extent of these impacts. This review paper fills a gap in the literature by answering the question: What are the most applicable quantitative methods to assess the economic impact of Canadian DME programs?Methods: The literature is reviewed to identify economic assessment methods. These are evaluated and compared based on the benefits, challenges, data needs, outputs and potential for use in the DME context.Results: We identified five economic impact methods used in similar contexts. Two of these methods have the potential for Canadian DME programs: the Canadian Input-Output (I-O) model and the Simplified American Council on Education (ACE) method.Conclusion: Choice of a method is contingent on the ability to measure the salient economic impacts, and provide an output that facilitates sustainable decision making. This paper thus fills a gap by identifying methods applicable to DME. These methods will assist stakeholders to calculate economic impacts, resulting in both the advancement and sustainability of these programs over short- and long-term time frames.

How Prior Learning Assessment Fits Into Today's Education Landscape

As defined by the American Council on Education (ACE), prior learning is learning gained outside the college classroom in a variety of settings and through formal and non-formal means, including workplace training, military training and service, independent study, professional certifications, civic activities, or volunteer service. These learning experiences may be equivalent to college-level skills and knowledge and warrant academic credit. Although this definition was coined many years ago, the definition and purpose of prior learning assessment are more pertinent given the changing educational landscape. Today, the proliferation of online and digital learning has opened endless opportunities for learners. With a few clicks on any device, learners can find an immediate solution to their knowledge gap. This increased learning that is occurring outside the walls of formal education increases the need on the assessment process; hence, the growing emphasis on prior learning assessment.

Awarding college credit for MOOCs: The role of the American Council on Education

Emerging alongside the open educational resources movement of the past decade, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been widely heralded as advancing cause of providing increased access to higher education. The article explores the implications of the recommendation by the American Council on Education (ACE) to offer college credit for a select group of MOOC offerings, with regard to benchmarks of access and affordability, in light of recent developments in credentialing. In particular, the article examines the innovative partnership between Arizona State University’s Global Freshman Academy (GFA) and MOOC provider edX, with regard to its potential to both disrupt and transform higher education by contributing to the development of accessible, affordable, alternative credentialing pathways.