In 2024, the University Innovation Alliance (UIA) celebrated a decade of transformative impact. What began in 2014 as a bold experiment by 11 universities has grown into a collaborative movement to dramatically redefine what’s possible in higher education: increased student success. We knew that graduating thousands more students would require reimagining how institutions tackle big challenges. Together, we innovated, shared knowledge, and built a culture of collaboration that now inspires change far beyond our campuses. UIA institutions have awarded more than 164,600 additional undergraduate degrees above baseline, more than doubling our initial goal. This milestone is a testament to our campus leadership teams’ vision and commitment. When we unite around shared urgency, we achieve far more than we ever could alone.
Our commitment to innovation and scale has always matched our desire to accelerate the diffusion of innovation across higher ed. We’ve added more campuses, shared playbooks, created media programming, designed experiences to help other institutions collaborate, and convened our first National Summit since 2018.
These highlights from our 2024 Annual Report mark another significant year for the UIA.
Impact and Scale
As a consortium of forward-thinking institutions, the UIA serves as a national laboratory for student success innovation. We transform higher education by accelerating the implementation and scaling of proven strategies to dramatically improve student success. Our 17 members collectively enroll 568,000 undergraduates, including 170,900 Pell recipients. In 2024, UIA member institutions graduated more first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color despite the lingering challenges from COVID-19: an additional 21,400 graduates above baseline expectations, including 63% students of color and 35% of low-income. Our institutions now enroll over 100% more undergraduates than the Ivy League and Top 50 liberal arts colleges combined, including more than five times as many Pell recipients. The UIA network awarded over three times as many bachelor’s degrees. When we collaborate, the students win.
The 2024 Summit
Since 2014, leadership transitions have underscored the need for continuity in our efforts. Retaining the past decade’s lessons was one reason for the UIA’s 2024 National Summit on Student Success Innovation in Tempe, AZ. On October 23-25, we convened 400 leaders from 74 campuses representing 1.5 million undergraduates, along with nonmembers, partners, and funders. Campus leaders shared strategies for improving retention and graduation rates, ensuring the expansion of our mission: empowering every student to graduate and contribute to America’s economic competitiveness.
One attendee called it “the best and most valuable conference I’ve attended in the last ten years.” A provost shared, “This experience is going to make the difference whether my campus makes it or not.” Numerous attendees described it as “a masterclass in meaningful collaboration.” The Summit powerfully illustrated what happens when collaboration, inspiration, and practical tools align.
Learning What Works
Collaborative scale projects drive the UIA, transforming single-campus innovations into systemwide solutions, tackling shared challenges with bold, data-driven strategies. Our initiatives demonstrate the potential of collective action to improve outcomes and create sector-wide impact. We advance these projects through annual events and communities of practice, where member campuses exchange insights, build skills, and share data. The results yield measurable outcomes and compelling stories from participating institutions.
- Student-Centered Redesign: Student-Centered Redesign is a holistic approach to redesigning educational systems, processes, or policies, creating an inclusive environment for all students. Through this initiative, 14 campuses are advancing tailored interventions informed by institutional assessments and student insights, targeting enhancements in Black students’ experiences and outcomes. Our forthcoming playbook will showcase how institutions can better serve the unique needs of diverse student communities. The UIA sees potential to adapt this model for other student groups, such as caregivers, transfer students, and adult learners.
- Elevating Learner Voice With Listening Lab: Seven campuses piloted a system for developing focus groups to generate actionable data driving student-centered redesign. Phase 1 of the Listening Lab saw institutions engage in 30+ hours of professional development training for moderators who then led 143 focus groups. First-year, online, transfer, and readmitted students; student parents; and students returning from leave were among the participants. The UIA released a Listening Lab playbook based on lessons learned and is currently recruiting for Phase 2.
- Academic Recovery Initiative: Eleven campuses are piloting a model to mitigate negative impacts of DFW grades and improve students’ rates of academic progress. Modeled on Georgia State University’s Accelerator Academy, campuses recruited students who earned a D, F, or W in select first-year gateway courses, offering subsidized retake opportunities through courses with supplemental instruction and academic coaching. Campuses are completing their second year of this intervention to improve student outcomes.
- Leaning Innovations: At our July 2024 retreat, 12 campuses kicked off this exploratory project to improve outcomes in gateway STEM courses that affect students’ likelihood of successful degree progression. The initiative is organized around building communities of practice, deepening faculty engagement, and developing sustainable innovation tools.
Newly appointed Faculty Fellows from the participating institutions developed an inventory of innovations and are working in a community of practice to implement them through 25 courses in eight subject areas.
University Innovation Lab
The University Innovation Lab is becoming a premier hub for learning and transformation. Since the 2024 Summit, it gained 157 new members, converting 54% of non-Lab attendees into active users. The University of Maryland Global Campus became our first Lab subscriber, bringing total paying members to 67 through campus subscriptions and learning cohorts. Since launching in 2023, the Lab has trained 89 learners in seven cohorts and workshops, with standout programs on Focus Group Moderation and Process Mapping. We plan to offer more cohorts and workshops alongside our Communities of Practice to further scale innovation across the sector.
Driving the Conversation
The UIA amplifies insights, success stories, and leadership lessons through robust social channels, live broadcasts, and dynamic outreach. By scaling our message beyond our network, we inspire tens of thousands to engage in thought partnership, promoting innovation and transformation for better student outcomes.
Social
Our active social presence grew 3.5% in 2024, driving thought leadership and visibility for student success initiatives with campus leaders, policymakers, and funders. Our social media team posted 800 times across LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube, creating significant outreach and engagement.
Newsletter
Our monthly newsletter delivers strategies, resources, and impact stories to a growing subscriber base of nearly 10,000 higher education professionals. Each issue is opened by 1 in every 3 recipients, fueling innovation and supporting campus leaders to help more students of low-income, first-generation students, and students of color graduate.
Podcast and Shows
With 175 episodes produced to date, the UIA’s Weekly Wisdom and Innovating Together podcasts position us as a top resource for higher education thought leadership. We consistently rank among the top eight higher education podcasts.
Earned Media
The UIA still leads and amplifies the national conversation on student success, with our work cited across prominent media outlets such as The Hechinger Report, Inside Higher Ed, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Gratitude for Those Who Make It Possible
The UIA owes its success to three dynamic groups within the organization:
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Our Board: 17 visionary presidents and chancellors embodying our commitment to collaborative innovation that improves student success.
- Our Liaisons: 33 campus leaders guiding local teams, mentoring UIA Fellows, and keeping their institutions accountable to ambitious goals.
- Our Fellows: 16 early- to mid-career professionals serving as transformation catalysts and spearheading initiatives that strengthen student success.
We gratefully acknowledge the philanthropic support from our generous partners who made our 2024 Summit possible, along with much of our planning, implementation, scaled initiatives, and projects:
- Ascendium
- Axim Collaborative
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation
- Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
- ECMC Foundation
- The Kresge Foundation
- Lumina Foundation
Our deepest gratitude goes to our 17 member institutions and their unwavering dedication to data-driven improvement, transparency, accountability, and commitment to producing ever more graduates across the socioeconomic spectrum.
Launching the UIA’s Next Decade
In our first decade, the UIA created an unprecedented model of what’s possible when higher education rises to meet the moment. In 2025 and beyond, we will continue reimagining what’s possible for students, institutions, and communities. Building on ten years of innovation to drive the next era of student success, we’ll provide institutions with new tools to scale transformative practices. Our Listening Lab and Learning Innovations projects will bring student and faculty voices into the heart of our work. We’ll continue to sharpen our strategy, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that higher education delivers on its promise for all students. Change management, data democracy, and collaboration will support our commitment to these innovations. The future demands bold leadership, willingness to confront complexity, and determination to work together in new ways. Join us in shaping this future:
- Take a deeper dive into our 2024 Annual Report.
- Subscribe to the Innovating Together podcast.
- Subscribe to our newsletter and share with your networks.
- Access critical tools in the University Innovation Lab.
- Follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.