NCHEMS - a tradition of service since 1969 The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) is a private nonprofit (501)(c)(3)organization whose mission is to improve strategic decision making in higher education for states and institutions in the United States and abroad. The NCHEMS Information Center for State Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis (The Information Center) provides state policymakers and analysts’ timely and accurate data and information that are useful in making sound higher education policy decisions. The Information Center is a comprehensive “one-stop-shop” for state-level higher education data and information. To that end, NCHEMS has become the acknowledged national leader in converting data into information that supports strategic decision-making. Beyond technical capacity associated with data analysis and presentation, NCHEMS has developed considerable expertise in helping decision-makers use this information in making strategic level decisions. The areas of particular expertise are: Strategic planning (environmental scans are a component of this activity) Finance and resource allocation/institutional productivity Outcomes assessment and quality assurance Institutional and state-level governance of higher education Alternative modes of educational delivery – online, competency-based, etc. Higher education/workforce alignment The scope of work ranges from conceptual development (often for foundations) to very practical problem-solving, always with a strong quantitative base. NCHEMS websites can be found at www.nchems.org and www.higheredinfo.org