As part of its Beyond the Horizon strategic plan, HLC launched the Innovation Zone initiative with funding from the Lumina Foundation in 2018. Comprising 10 representatives from institutions in HLC’s region, the Innovation Zone participants identified opportunities for HLC and its members to be more supportive of innovation.

The group developed two proposals:

• Continuous Improvement of the Substantive Change Process
  Proposes a “flipped” substantive change process that would allow institutions to launch new programs faster.
• A Space to Innovate
  Proposes a process for HLC to work with institutions to test innovations in higher education, with permission and potential regulatory relief from the U.S. Department of Education.