New England Board of Higher Education

The New England Board of Higher Education

Founded	1955
Type	Interstate Compact
Focus	Higher Education
Location	Boston, Massachusetts
Area served	New England
Website	www.nebhe.org

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) is an interstate compact established in 1955 by the governors of the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. While the compact was approved by each state's legislature and authorized by the U.S. Congress.

NEBHE's mission is to promote greater educational opportunities and services for New England residents. It facilitates collaboration among public and private higher education institutions, coordinates regional initiatives, and administers programs aimed at improving access, affordability, and innovation in postsecondary education.

History

Map of New England Board of Higher Education participating states

• 1955 - The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) was established to implement the New England Higher Education Compact and promote collaboration among the region's colleges and universities.
• 1957 - NEBHE launched the New England Regional Student Program (RSP), which allows students from New England states to enroll in certain out-of-state public institutions at reduced tuition rates if their chosen programs are not offered by their home state's public colleges. The program expanded to include community and technical colleges in 1967, and state colleges in 1972. It was later rebranded as Tuition Break.
• 1979 - NEBHE established the Commission on Higher Education and the Economy of New England to address the link between higher education and regional economic development.
• 1986 - NEBHE began publishing its quarterly journal, Connection: New England's Journal of Higher Education and Economic Development. The journal was renamed The New England Journal of Higher Education in 2007 and transitioned to an online-only format in 2010.
• 1993 - The New England Technical Education Partnership was launched to connect educators and industry leaders focused on technical education.
• 2002 - NEBHE organized a series of conferences on workforce development, resulting in a policy report titled Building Human Capital: A New England Strategy. The report recommended reforms in science and math education, adult literacy, and community colleges.
• 2003 - NEBHE introduced the New England Higher Education Excellence Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations demonstrating leadership in higher education, public policy, or educational access.
• 2015 - NEBHE launched the New England component of the national State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), coordinating participation for all six New England states, as well as New York and New Jersey.
• 2017 - The Commission on Higher Education & Employability was established, chaired by Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, to address workforce readiness.
• 2018 - With support from the Lumina Foundation, NEBHE launched High Value Credentials for New England (HVCNE) in partnership with Credential Engine. The initiative focused on documenting and publishing credential information in fields such as life sciences, health, IT, and business & finance in a centralized Credential Registry.
• 2023 - In partnership with the New England Council, NEBHE released a series of fact sheets on higher education topics relevant to the region. ^[1]

See also

• National Student Exchange
• Midwestern Higher Education Compact
• Southern Regional Education Board
• Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

References

1. "NEC and NE Board of Higher Ed Release Economic Impact Fact Sheets". New England Council. Retrieved 23 June 2025.

External links

• New England Board of Higher Education Website
• The New England Journal of Higher Education
• NEBHE's RSP Tuition Break