The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has announced seven new priorities for the 2025 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), marking a significant realignment of federal higher education funding under the Trump administration.
The funding competition, which will distribute awards by the end of the year, focuses on four broad “areas of national need”: artificial intelligence (AI), civil discourse, accreditation reform, and short-term workforce programs. Together, these reflect the administration’s stated effort to reshape federal involvement in higher education toward technology, free expression, and workforce alignment.
“Under the Trump Administration, we are witnessing a transformative shift in higher education, one that is setting a new course for a brighter future,” said Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent. “From restoring freedom of speech and fostering viewpoint diversity, to reimagining an archaic accreditation system and prioritizing workforce-driven programs, there is a growing recognition that bold, seismic change is essential to restoring confidence in our Nation’s higher education system.”
The largest funding shares will go toward promoting civil discourse ($60 million) and AI initiatives ($50 million). The civil discourse priority—framed around combating what the department calls “censorship” and “violent unrest”—will support campus-based events such as debates, conferences, and speaker series designed to encourage discussion across political lines.
Two AI-related priorities will fund projects that use artificial intelligence to enhance teaching and learning outcomes, as well as efforts to expand student access to AI and computer science education.
Other allocations include $7 million for accreditation reform, supporting both institutions seeking to switch accreditors and those interested in forming new accrediting agencies—an area that could loosen long-standing oversight structures. Another $50 million will go toward developing and expanding short-term, workforce-aligned programs eligible under the administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Critics warn that these priorities may further politicize the federal role in higher education, particularly around issues like academic freedom and accreditation. But ED officials argue the changes will “ensure that grantees have the resources needed to build on our Administration’s successes” and strengthen institutions’ responsiveness to student and employer needs.
The full notice inviting applications was published November 10 in the Federal Register.
