Higher Education Initiatives
The future of STEM education depends on a strong, diverse, and well-prepared STEM teacher workforce. Universities play a critical role in making that future possible. They are where many future teachers first discover teaching as a meaningful career, where preparation programs build the knowledge and experiences teachers need, and where new models can be designed to meet changing needs in schools, communities, and the workforce.
Recruiting and preparing the next generation of STEM teachers
The National Center for STEM Education works with universities to strengthen the full STEM teacher development pipeline, from recruitment and early exploration to preparation, certification, and long-term program sustainability. Building on the national impact of UTeach, we help institutions adopt, adapt, and improve models that prepare excellent STEM teachers and expand pathways into the profession.
A flexible approach to a persistent challenge
Recruiting and preparing future STEM teachers is one of the most urgent and persistent challenges facing university-based teacher preparation programs. Many institutions recognize the need to produce more STEM teachers but face barriers related to student interest, program visibility, advising, course pathways, clinical placements, certification requirements, faculty capacity, and long-term funding.
The Center helps institutions address these challenges through a flexible set of models, resources, tools, and partnership opportunities. For some universities, the best path is implementing a full UTeach program. For others, the first step may be building an on-ramp into STEM teaching, strengthening recruitment systems, developing bridge programs, or adapting preparation pathways to fit local conditions.
Our goal is to help more universities create clear, compelling, and sustainable pathways into STEM teaching.
Partner with us
Whether your institution is ready to explore a full STEM teacher preparation model, strengthen recruitment, build an on-ramp into teaching, or learn from other universities working on similar challenges, the National Center for STEM Education can help.
Contact us to start the conversation.
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placeholder quote "The conference was a meaningful and impactful experience. It is truly a gift to come together with like-minded colleagues to learn, grow, and renew our focus on the shared mission of preparing exceptional STEM educators."
— UTeach STEM Educators Conference attendee
Our work in higher education
STEM teacher preparation models
The Center supports universities in designing and implementing high-quality STEM teacher preparation models that meet institutional needs while maintaining a clear focus on strong preparation, early field experiences, STEM disciplinary expertise, and long-term teacher success.
UTeach
UTeach is the Center’s most comprehensive university-based STEM teacher preparation model. It integrates STEM degree pathways with teacher certification, early and sustained classroom experiences, strong clinical preparation, and collaboration between STEM and education faculty. For institutions seeking a full, proven model for preparing secondary STEM teachers, UTeach remains the gold standard.
Building Onramps to STEM Teaching
Building Onramps to STEM Teaching offers institutions a flexible way to introduce more STEM students to teaching and create early points of entry into a path to preparing for the profession. This model can help universities build student interest, strengthen recruitment, and create a foundation for deeper preparation work over time.
Recruitment resources for universities
Recruitment is not a one-time campaign. It is a long-term system of messaging, advising, outreach, relationship-building, and evidence-based communication that helps students see STEM teaching as a respected, intellectually meaningful, and high-impact career.
The Center provides tools and resources to help universities strengthen recruitment over time, including:
- STEM teacher recruitment guides and planning tools
- Webinars and professional learning opportunities
- Recruitment needs assessment instruments
- Messaging resources for STEM majors, advisors, faculty, and program leaders
- Strategies for engaging alumni, current students, STEM faculty, and campus partners
- Access to national research and resources through Get the Facts Out
Get the Facts Out
As the home of the national Get the Facts Out initiative, the Center helps programs use research-based messaging to address persistent misconceptions about teaching and communicate the value, impact, and opportunity of STEM teaching careers.
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