The Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education (MIHE) was established in 1964 (as the Institute of Higher Education) by the University of Georgia in response to a recommendation by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to establish one or two centers for the study of higher education in the region. Since then, MIHE has graduated more than 350 doctoral students to fill leadership positions in Georgia colleges and universities and beyond, including presidents, development officers, institutional researchers, deans, department chairs, and faculty. UGA offers the oldest and most respected program of higher education studies in the University System of Georgia. The McBee Institute's doctoral programs are highly regarded nationally and around the world. Several MIHE tenured faculty members also hold adjunct appointments in other colleges and schools and have led courses in Europe. McBee Institute faculty, staff, and students work on projects funded by a variety of funding sources, including federal agencies and private foundations. Nearly all funded research and service projects involve and support graduate students. Public service was a major function of the institute in the early years and continues to be a focus. The earliest outreach initiative was Faculty Development in Georgia, which has enabled more than 250 faculty members from colleges and universities across the state to pursue doctoral education while participating in institute seminars designed to improve teaching and learning. The commitment to developing instructional excellence continued with the establishment of the Governor's Teaching Fellows in 1995. Our newest outreach program, the Georgia College Advising Corps, is entirely supported by external funds and aims to improve college-going in Georgia through the placement of recent college graduates as college advisers in Georgia high schools. The McBee Institute is committed to advancing state, national, and international higher education. To learn more about our research, graduate education, and outreach, please explore our website. Contact us at ihe@uga.edu or by phone, 706-542-3464. Institute Directors Galen Drewery, 1964-1969 Cameron Fincher, 1969-1999 Ronald Simpson, 1999-2001 Del Dunn, 2001-2002 Libby V. Morris, 2002-2003 (interim) Thomas Dyer, 2003-2006 Libby V. Morris, 2006-2022 James C. Hearn, 2022-2024 (interim) Erik C. Ness, 2024-Present
