The Open Education (OE) Program of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) has announced a pilot project for seven tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), each of which will receive a $21,050 subaward to adopt affordability best practices. The project will include two cohorts. Cohort 1 will run fall 2025, spring 2026, and fall 2026; the cohort has two spots, with applications opening on June 1 and closing when all spots are full. Applications to the program will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Interested TCUs can apply here.

Representatives from each cohort will meet monthly to discuss and report their progress on program objectives, including three faculty, each submitting curricula to the AIHEC OER Commons Hub; 1 librarian or library assistant pursuing OE librarianship certification; and the registrar labeling courses zero textbook cost or low textbook cost; and university administration releasing internal and external statements of support.