Star Awards

About

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) invites nominations for the 2026 Star Awards, celebrating outstanding institutions advancing the state’s postsecondary goals under Building a Talent Strong Texas. Aligned with the theme “Texas Talent Rising: Where Student Potential Meets Economic Possibility,” this year’s awards spotlight institutions demonstrating transformative work across three strategic categories:

Transferability

Recognizing institutions advancing seamless student mobility through intentional pathway design, cross-sector alignment, and reduced time to completion that support the goals of Building a Talent Strong Texas.

Criteria:

  • Dual Credit Alignment: Efficient dual credit design with pathways of awarding postsecondary credentials, during high school.
  • Structured Pathways: Creation or expansion of clear, transferable academic pathways that reduce excess credit and improve time to degree.
  • Technology Enablement: Strategic use of technology—including AI—to improve transfer advising, degree planning, and credit applicability.
  • Cross-sector Partnerships: Productive partnerships with community colleges, universities, school districts, or workforce entities that lead to improved student mobility.
  • Student Mobility Culture: Promotion of a culture that supports student mobility, continuous learning, and multiple entry/exit points.
  • Affordability Impact: Innovative course or program design that increases affordability by improving credit applicability, Field of Study/Texas Direct, and reducing time to completion.

Student Success

Recognizing institutions achieving measurable gains in student progression, persistence, and credential completion.

Criteria:

  • Outcome Improvement: Demonstrated increases in credential attainment and program completion.
  • Student Support Systems: High-impact advising, coaching, or early alert systems supporting student persistence.
  • Data-Informed Action: Use of data to identify gaps and drive sustained institutional change.
  • Institutional Transformation: Evidence of policy or practice changes that focuses on affordability, demonstrates student success, incorporates field of study curriculum, and/or improving time to degree.

Workforce Alignment

Recognizing institutions strengthening pathways that connect education to high-demand careers and credentials of value.

Criteria:

  • Labor Market Alignment: Creation or enhancement of workforce education programs aligned with high-demand occupations and regional labor market needs.
  • Employer Engagement: Partnerships with employers, workforce boards, or industry associations that bolster academic program design and student placement.
  • Credential Innovation: Growth in delivery of short-term, stackable, or credentials that increase workforce participation.
  • Work-based Learning: Integration of work-based learning opportunities (e.g., internships, apprenticeships, on-the-job training).
  • Pathway Value: Innovative course or program design that maximizes the value of academic and career pathways.
  • Affordability and Efficiency: Innovative course or program design that increases student affordability.

Nominations

Self-nominations are welcomed and encouraged. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is excited to award both a university award and a technical, state, and community college award for each category. Star Awards recipients are invited to briefly present at a board meeting, have an institutional representative on the Higher Edge break out session, and will be announced at the annual Texas Higher Education Leadership Conference, Higher EDge, on December 8, 2026.

To submit a nomination, please submit the nomination form by August. 1, 2026. Send inquiries to: staraward@highered.texas.gov.