About HERA
The Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA) is a collaborative of 16 Southeastern Wisconsin public and private, two- and four-year colleges and universities and a network of partner organizations. We are dedicated to closing achievement gaps and educating students today to become an innovative and nimble workforce that meets the needs of the region’s industries tomorrow.
This challenge is too large for any one university or college to solve alone, so we are working together. We know that education impacts more than individual lives; it can change the trajectory of our entire region.
Our Story
Launched in 2019, HERA brings together higher education institutions with industry and community partners to address our region’s most pressing student and workforce needs.
HERA institutions serve approximately 125,000 students and award approximately 24,000 degrees and certifications each year. This makes HERA institutions the primary developers of talented young employees for our region’s 50,000+ businesses.
HERA is organized around three primary goals:
- Increasing college completion and closing achievement gaps
- Aligning program offerings to meet workforce gaps
- Expanding talent bridges for employers
Who HERA Serves
“The sense of collaboration and collegiality among our region’s higher education community really stands out – it isn’t like this everywhere across the country. The fact that this group started six years ago and we keep moving, evolving, and getting stronger every year, is a testament to the commitment that our leaders have to do all we can to benefit our region and communities.”
— Cindy Gnadinger, HERA Chair, President of Carroll University
Members
Partners
