The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) is one of four statutorily-created interstate compacts founded in 1991. It serves Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
MHEC contributes to the vitality of the Midwest by enhancing member states’ ability to maximize higher education opportunity and performance through collaboration and resource sharing. The compact delivers this promise through three core functions of student access, cost savings and policy research that
- promote improved student access, affordability and completion;
- reduce operational costs;
- analyze public policy and facilitate information exchange;
- enhance regional higher education cooperation and dialogue; and
- encourage quality programs and services.
Each member state appoints five individuals to a 60-member governing body of legislators, higher education leaders, and governors’ representatives. Member state obligations, program fees, and foundation grants finance MHEC activities and support initiatives to increase regional collaboration and achieve outcomes that could not be realized by institutions and systems acting independently.