The SCIENCE Collaborative: Collectively Increasing Institutional Capacity for STEM Undergraduate Education Reform

The Student-centered Institutional Enhancement Co-learning Exchange (SCIENCE) Collaborative is a 14-institution network that collaboratively and collectively increases the capacity of institutional change in STEM undergraduate education. Our shared goal is to ensure that by 2030, 100% of students at our institutions are empowered and supported in achieving their academic, professional, and personal aspirations during and beyond their early undergraduate STEM experiences. The SCIENCE Collaborative institutions are situated in largely varied contexts, allowing the Collaborative to draw on vastly different perspectives and expertise, learning and iterating based on the experiences of others in the network. The SCIENCE Collaborative employs a theory of change framework (Reinholz & Andrews, 2020) that emphasizes directed, iterative, and collective processes to identify and address structural barriers to student success (Viskupic, et al., 2022). Through cross-institutional communities of practice (CoPs) and project teams, we implement evidence-based strategies and structures designed to create sustainable change (Kezar, et al., 2018; Lau, et al., 2024). These strategies are intentionally selected for their potential to thrive within—and benefit from—a networked support model. Our approach leverages "early adopter" campuses that pilot specific evidence-based practices within their institutional contexts. Other network institutions—referred to as "institutional adaptors"—gain access to shared knowledge, logistical insights, and community support to adapt these practices to their own unique needs. This collaborative process builds institutional capacity across the network while maintaining alignment with overarching goals for systemic change. To amplify impact and foster coherence across efforts, the SCIENCE Collaborative leadership facilitates cross-CoP interactions and promotes shared learning. By aligning change efforts across institutions, we aim to create a scalable model for advancing STEM undergraduate education that supports both individual institutional goals and broader systemic transformation.