The Centre for Policy Research in Higher Education(CPRHE) is established in National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration(NIEPA), (Deemed to be University) as a specialised Centre in the area of higher education policy and planning. The Centre enjoys autonomy to develop and implement its own research agenda and other programmes; and mobilise resources. The activities of the Centre are guided by an Executive Committee which reviews and approves its annual work plan and budget before it is submitted to the Board of Management of NIEPA for final approval. The Vice-Chancellor, NIEPA acts as chairperson and the Director of the Centre as Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of academia and senior-level policy- makers, with representation from UGC, Department of Higher Education, MHRD and NITI Ayog.

The Centre promotes inter-disciplinary research and it is reflected in the recruitment of its faculty. The academic staff of the Centre consists of its Director and a group of core professional staff consisting of Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors. All the professional staff members hold research degrees (doctoral degrees) in various disciplines aligned to education. In addition, the Centre has support staff, to help research, data entry and analysis, and administrative staff. The Centre is located in the guest house of the NIEPA, New Delhi.

THE MISSION AND CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTRE

Mission

The overarching mission of the CPRHE is to contribute to the generation, sharing and application of knowledge required for the formulation of policies, plans and programmes designed for development of education in India. The Centre will focus its efforts on the current national priorities in the four inter-related areas: expanding and improving the provision of higher education; ensuring equity and inclusion; improving the quality and relevance; and improving governance and management. It will foster excellence in all aspects of higher education to enable the higher education system in India to achieve global standards, on the one hand, and to remain locally engaged, on the other.

Main Tasks

The main tasks of the Centre will include the following:

• Provide leadership on matters relating to policy analysis, planning and research in higher education;
• Serve as a knowledge warehouse and a cutting-edge centre of research and analysis in the area of higher education, and as a think tank on higher education, engaged in promoting scholarly policy discourse on different aspects of higher education development and management in India.
• Undertake and sponsor policy research and analysis for generating and expanding the knowledge base required to inform and support decisions concerning higher education reforms, aimed at expanding and improving the provision of higher education, ensuring equity and inclusion, improving the quality and the relevance, and improving the governance and management of higher education. The thrust areas of research will include access and equity in higher education, quality improvement focusing on research and teaching; institutional autonomy, accreditation and assessment, financing of higher education, private higher education, and governance;
• Assess/analyse trends in higher education development, both at the state and national levels, and disseminating them through publications and regional/national conferences and consultation meetings to facilitate the formulation of policy responses and programmatic interventions required for achieving the higher education development goals and targets.
• Strengthen institutional and human capacity to undertake policy analysis and research relating to different aspects of higher education;
• Provide technical assistance to central/state governments and UGC to help them evolve a long-term perspective plan for development of higher education and develop effective governance structures and appropriate strategies for attaining the higher education sector development goals and targets in a sustainable manner;
• Facilitate sharing and transfer of knowledge, including dissemination of information on research and innovations, lessons learned, case studies, and effective practices, relating to different aspects of higher education, among various stakeholders at state/UT and national levels (through print and electronic forms, and seminars/conferences etc.). This is aimed at facilitating the formulation of evidence-based policy options and programmatic initiatives required to achieve the higher education sector development goals and targets;
• Foster policy dialogues on issues concerning higher education development and management involving State-level education authorities, universities and other stakeholders engaged in seeking appropriate policy responses and programmatic interventions to improve higher education policies, planning, management and financing;
• Networking with educational researchers and practitioners, universities, bodies like the Association of Indian Universities, and research institutions in higher education and social sciences in India and abroad, international institutions and organizations, in order to facilitate improved cooperation between all partners involved in higher education development and management, and exchange of experiences and know-how for addressing key education sector- related challenges and improving policy analysis and research in higher education.
• Advocacy for promoting the adoption of effective higher education policies/practices and the formulation of effective programmatic interventions for achieving the higher education development goals and targets set by each of the states/universities.