In 2002, I started the Educational Policy Institute because I believed there was much work to do on behalf of individuals who have little voice in the matters of federal, state, and provincial governments, school boards, and especially in schools and postsecondary institutions. Our governments spend billions of dollars to educate students and support programs to help ameliorate inequities, but we know that all things aren't equal. In fact, the one truth about our global marketplace is that there are the haves and the have-nots, and the potential for a widening of those too groups looms large for future generations.

Education at both the compulsory and postsecondary levels is an important public concern for citizens of all countries on all continents. Education remains one of the largest budget items for governments, and the increasing cost of educating our youth is a concern in times of constricted public budgets. Policymakers require better tools and information in order to make prudent decisions about how best to spend taxpayer funds and also serve the public in the best manner possible. So at EPI we focus on trying to conduct research that can arm policymakers with better information and serve society to the best of their ability.

We also conduct our research in hopes that it informs both researchers and practitioners. Our extensive effort in the area of student retention is aimed at improving practice on postsecondary campuses in the US, Canada, and beyond. Our development of special tools to help support administrators in the development of new policies and practices to encourage students to stay on campus is an important example of this work. And our conferences and workshops in this area allow us to work directly with these individuals in hopes of making direct, positive change.

Our newsletter, EPICenter (and EPICentre in Canada), plus our many research and policy reports, are provided as a free service to readers to disseminate knowledge that we feel is important to the education community. We put great pride in our people, our methodological approaches, and our mission. We feel that the work we do can make a difference for learners of all ages around the world, and that determination is what makes us different.

In closing, we sincerely hope you find our efforts useful and informative. Please take time to review our website so that you are familiar with all the work we do.

Best regards,

Dr. Watson Scott Swail
President and Senior Research Scientist