About HERA

The Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA) is a collaborative of 17 southeastern Wisconsin public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities, and a network of community and economic development partners. Together, we prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow as we award over 24,000 degrees and certificates across the region each year.

We know that education impacts more than individual lives; it can change the trajectory of our entire region. We are dedicated to closing achievement gaps and educating students to become an innovative and nimble workforce that meets the needs of the region’s industries. This challenge is too large for any one university or college to solve alone, so we are working together.


“Through HERA, the full system of higher education in southeastern Wisconsin is evolving ever more rapidly to serve over 125,000 students and nearly 50,000 businesses in our region. From increasing access to postsecondary education to increasing credential and degree completion, from aligning program offerings to meet workforce gaps to streamlining the processes of matching our region’s talent with our region’s opportunities, HERA supports the prosperity of our area’s people and institutions.”

— Vicki Martin, HERA Chair, President of Milwaukee Area Technical College