About The Center
The Center for the Future of Higher Education and Work (CHEW) is a strategic innovation hub within Northeastern University that advances applied research, systems design, and cross-sector collaboration to build the future of dynamic, adaptive lifelong learning pathways.
Rooted in Northeastern’s leadership in experiential learning and workforce alignment, CHEW supports the development, implementation, and scaling of core educational enablers—such as competency architecture, microcredentials, relational and experiential learning models, and real-time data analytics. Through partnerships with faculty, practitioners, and employers, the center builds evidence-based strategies to transform how learners access, navigate, and benefit from education throughout their lives.
CHEW’s work bridges research and practice, synthesizing insights across pilots, institutional innovations, and external collaborations. The center serves as both a convener and a catalyst—curating learning networks, producing toolkits and exemplars, and advising on scalable models for aligning education and work. CHEW’s efforts directly support and inform the educational innovation agenda of Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies and Graduate School of Education.
Mission
To accelerate innovation in higher education by generating actionable research, piloting scalable solutions, and convening cross-sector partnerships that bridge academic practice and workforce evolution.
questions that guide our work
Our research is driven by a shared commitment to understanding how education can be more responsive, inclusive, and aligned with the realities of work. The evolving questions below shape our approach to experimentation, data analysis, and institutional collaboration. As we find answers we generate practical insights and scalable models that help learners gain traction in the labor market, support institutions in adapting to change, and build the foundations of a more agile, skills-first education ecosystem.
- How can we build learning pathways for all learners from birth to earth via articulated, actualized, accessible, stackable, and credentialed learning experiences?
- What data infrastructure is needed to track, evaluate, and improve competency-based, skills-first learning models at scale?
- How can microcredentials and modular learning pathways be designed to reflect validated skills and lead to meaningful career mobility?
- What institutional structures, practices, and partnerships enable mission-driven organizations to implement and sustain innovation in experiential learning?
