Management Education Research Institute

About the MERInstitute

GMAC established the Management Education Research Institute (MERInstitute) in 2005 to stimulate faculty research on issues affecting graduate management education. MERInstitute is a part of the GMAC Management Education for Tomorrow (MET) Fund, created in 2008 with a US$10 million commitment to invest in strategic philanthropic initiatives that benefit management education globally. 

Through its Fellowship and Grants Programs, the MERInstitute funds data-driven research related to graduate management education around the world—research that develops knowledge and innovation and identifies best practices and areas for improvement related to admissions, curriculum, career, and outcomes.

The MERInstitute seeks research that improves educational practice. Universities and colleges constantly strive to achieve their missions in the face of increasing competition and limited resources. Traditionally, most deans and other academic administrators have based decisions on their professional experiences, observations, and judgments. In the future, however, evidence-based research should play a more central role in decision-making.

With effective evidence-based decision-making, higher education administrators and faculty can more accurately identify trends; pinpoint areas that need improvement; and engage in scenario-based planning and discuss fact-based decision-making options and likely outcomes. These advanced capabilities don't just benefit an institution's long-term planning. They also help with routine decision-making that—when acted upon throughout the institution—can add up to tremendous performance improvements over time.

The MERInstitute's Sponsored Programs

• The Grants Program supports research projects with the potential to make an important contribution to management education. The Institute supports primary research as well as research that uses data from GMAC surveys. Grants up to US$100,000 each are available.
• The Faculty Fellowships Program supports innovative and thought-provoking management education leaders who seek to study broader issues related to the management community. The Institute offers as many as four (4) annual, year-long faculty fellowships with awards up to US$50,000 each for research at the fellows' home institutions.
• The Doctoral Student Fellowships Program supports promising doctoral students and beginning faculty pursuing research in admissions, curriculum, career, and outcomes. The Institute offers as many as four (4) annual, year-long doctoral student fellowships with awards up to US$20,000 each for research at the fellows' home institutions.

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