The Office of Education is strengthening involvement with higher education institutions to ensure that NASA can meet future workforce needs in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields. Participation in NASA programs and research stimulates increasing numbers of students to continue their studies at all levels of the higher education continuum and earn advanced degrees in these critical fields.

Through a portfolio of program types, the Higher Education Division seeks to increase the overall capacity of universities and colleges, at all levels, to better address STEM disciplines related to NASA. Specifically, programs are in place to:

• Catalyze institutional development to prepare colleges and universities to be better able to compete for NASA research awards;
• Increase the candidate pool of qualified faculty who can compete for NASA research awards;
• Build connections, through partnership and consortium awards, that provide institutions of higher education and other educational entities better bridges for students who want to pursue a career in STEM fields;
• Facilitate improved coordination between NASA-sponsored university research activities and teacher preparation projects to expose teachers-in-training to NASA research and discoveries, thus furthering their understanding of STEM disciplines;
• Provide fellowship and scholarship opportunities to attract "the best and the brightest" students to NASA disciplines.

The Office of Education strives to ensure that underrepresented and underserved students participate in NASA education and research projects to encourage more of these students to pursue STEM careers. The Division of Higher Education will continue to focus on Minority University Research and Education Projects to enhance the capabilities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities to contribute to the research needs of the S&T Enterprises, and works to encourage these institutions to collaborate with teacher preparation projects to improve the quality and diversity of STEM teachers.