The First Cohort of the Higher Education Readiness Program: Evaluation and Results

IIE releases a new report "HER Initiative to Lead Change: The Power of Education" that presents the findings from a 2-year evaluation of the Higher Education Readiness (HER) pilot program in Ethiopia, an IIE Initiative. The HER pilot program provided secondary school scholarships to 100 female students from underserved populations in Ethiopia, with the ultimate goal of contributing to their success in secondary school and university enrollment. IIE’s Center for Academic Mobility Research and Impact measured the outcomes and impacts of the cohort of HER students against a comparison group of girls from the same schools who did not participate in HER. 

The HER Initiative to Lead Change evaluation report provides evidence of how a comprehensive pathway program like HER can increase high school graduation rates and matriculation to university, enhance female self-confidence and leadership abilities, and equip young women with skills necessary to succeed in life. The report also outlines how the HER program’s comprehensive approach to girls’ education ensured sustainability and change that went beyond the immediate student impacts, demonstrating the multiplier effect of the program on the girls’ schools and communities.