About

Our Approach

We approach learning and teaching as scholarly endeavors by encouraging a curious mindset, a reflective process of inquiry, and iterative changes informed by evidence.

We partner with members of the Northwestern University community who aspire to:

• embrace continual reflection and growth in learning and teaching,
• engage with evidence-based and sustainable teaching practices,
• use transparent assessment methods for understanding and improving student learning,
• connect with communities of educators for knowledge-sharing and career vitality,
• build organizational capacity for strategic institutional change initiatives, and
• celebrate exemplary practices and a culture of lifelong learning.

Our History

Advancing learning since 1992.

The Searle Center was established in 1992 in response to faculty and administrators calling for a designated center devoted to learning and teaching in higher education. This was not the first Center of its kind at Northwestern University; throughout the mid-seventies and eighties, the School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) had maintained its own Teaching Center. Under the auspices of University President Arnie Weber, a commission led by SESP Professor Robert Menges recommended that the new Center be open to all faculty and graduate students across the University, and as such, be an independent entity. Originally called the Center for Effective Teaching, the Center was renamed the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence in 1993 following a generous donation from the Searle Family. In 2013, the center took on its current name.

Since its founding, the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching has substantially grown in breadth and reach, with significant scholarly work that has been recognized nationally and internationally. Our staff aspires to share our own best practices and to engage in systematic inquiry that contributes to educational development or other related fields through invited talks, conference presentations, and scholarly publications. By doing so, we amplify the visibility and impact of Searle Center initiatives.

Annual Reports

Strategic Plan

Creating the conditions in which students and educators can thrive is a collective endeavor.

Guided by our shared values of critical reflection, multi-vocal evidence, and collaboration, the Searle Center completed our strategic planning process in with community conversations, gathering feedback that we incorporated to enhance the resonance of our signature programs and prioritize our strategic initiatives.

Completed in 2025, we will continue to refine our approach through annual reflections and public updates on our progress, ensuring that our initiatives remain aligned with the evolving needs of our community.

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