NPEC Focus and Activities

In 2007, NCES established the NPEC Research and Development (R & D) Panel and assigned it the responsibility for developing a research and development agenda for the IPEDS collection activities. Aligning NPEC with IPEDS is a significant opportunity for NPEC since IPEDS provides the unified data structure for all of NCES' postsecondary education data collection activities. In addition to its role in IPEDS, the NPEC R & D Panel will also provide technical expertise to NCES and support in other areas.

More specifically, the NPEC R&D panel will:

• Identify key data issues and propose a research and development agenda for IPEDS,


• Monitor and review commissioned background papers, which will be resources for individuals participating in the meetings of the IPEDS Technical Review Panel,


• Serve as "a permanent core" of its Technical Review Panels and


• Identify topics for and review research generated through the NPEC/AIR Focused Grant program. (Grant program information can be accessed at AIR Grant Programs and apply for a 2008 AIR Grant. Download copies of the final papers from previous years of the NPEC/AIR Focused grant program and the NCES/NSF/AIR grant program at (grant year 2005) and (grant year 2006)).

For 2008, NPEC is focusing on three topic areas: the Reporting of Non-Credit Instructional Activity, Distance Education Enrollments, and the IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey: Revisions and Extensions. NPEC is also identifying key data issues for a research and development agenda for IPEDS for 2009-2011. Each year NPEC will work with NCES to identify specific research and development projects that need to be undertaken during that year and possible consultants to undertake the work.

Prior to aligning NPEC with IPEDS, NPEC’s mission was to "promote the quality, comparability and utility of postsecondary data and information that support policy development at the federal, state, and institution levels". Past activities focused on postsecondary data issues such as access, student success, state and institutional indicators, and quality data practices. Recent products and ongoing activities can be found on the Recent Products page.