About the International Distance Education Benchmark Project (IDEBP)
While we are a private entity, the mission of IDEBP is to strengthen the institutional effectiveness and student success in online education. The International Distance Education Benchmark Project (IDEBP) provides institutions with data-driven tools for online education benchmarking—enabling them to better understand, evaluate, and improve their distance education strategies. By combining publicly available IPEDS data with confidential, institution-submitted benchmarks, IDEBP empowers colleges and universities to make informed decisions that strengthen student success and institutional strategy.
Our Strategic Partnership
IDEBP is proud to partner with UPCEA, the online and professional education association. Together, IDEBP and UPCEA advance shared goals of improving the quality, transparency, and impact of distance education through better data and benchmarking—supporting IDEBP’s mission to close critical data gaps and provide actionable insights for institutions worldwide.
Looking to get started?
Explore our Distance Education Dashboards to see what’s possible with benchmarking done right.
Or learn more about joining IDEBP and becoming part of a peer-driven national initiative.
Founder and Executive Director
Kevin N. Shriner, Ed.D.
Kevin is a nationally recognized expert in distance education research, online education benchmarking, and institutional strategy. He brings over 25 years of experience in higher education—16 of those spent in both public and private institutions. Through over three decades of service and success, he has remained committed to advancing the institutional effectiveness and student success at colleges and universities.
He also serves as Executive Director of the Center for Distance Education Research. He is a past Fellow of the National Summer Data Policy Institute on the datasets of the National Center for Education Statistics and National Science Foundation, as well as the Association for Institutional Research and the NCES Fellowship Program in Institutional Research.
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Our Purpose
IDEBP launched to address a critical gap in national distance education reporting. While IPEDS provides foundational insights, it lacks the granularity and confidentiality that institutions need to benchmark effectively and guide strategy.
To address this, IDEBP enables institutions to submit secure, de-identified data that goes beyond what IPEDS collects. This approach supports real-time, peer-driven analysis through easy-to-use dashboards and visual reports.
What Makes IDEBP Different
- Benchmarking data submitted directly by institutions
- Confidential reporting that is never made public
- Custom peer group comparisons tailored to each member
- Strategic dashboards paired with national trend analysis
- A focus on decision-making—not just data volume
Who We Serve
IDEBP supports academic leaders, institutional researchers, digital learning executives, and policy professionals who need actionable insight into the online education landscape.
Our Vision
Phase 1 of IDEBP focuses on U.S. institutions that report to IPEDS. However, our broader goal is to expand internationally. Through global expansion, IDEBP aims to help institutions around the world shape the future of distance education.
Participating Institutions
We’re proud to collaborate with leading institutions in online education. Meet our members.
Advisory Committee
Our Advisory Committee helps ensure IDEBP reflects the real-world priorities of higher education. Meet our advisors.
Data Governance Committee
Our Data Governance Committee ensures the integrity, consistency, and responsible use of IDEBP’s data. Meet our committee.