The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute

Name

The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute

Legal name

The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice

Website

https://uei.uchicago.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Social Work Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban/Metropolitan Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Teacher Professional Development & In-Service Training Institutes (EDAHAFAM), Graduate Schools of Education (M.Ed., Ed.D., Ph.D.) (EDAHAFAB), Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE), Human Resources, Organizational Behavior & Leadership Institutes (EDAHAHAG)

Keywords

• Social work education
• Urban education research
• Graduate social programs
• School policy research
• Social development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Graduate Education Programs: Master's (AM/MSW equivalent), Doctoral, and Certificate programs generating revenue through tuition. The Crown Family School integrates rigorous scholarship with evidence-based practice preparation.
2. Research Grants and Philanthropy: Funding from organizations such as The Fund for Research and Innovation in Global Health and Social Development. In February 2021, a $25 million gift from the Kiphart Family Foundation established the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Urban Education Institute, operating as the Kersten Institute for Urban Education within the University of Chicago's Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, delivers graduate academic programs (Master of Arts in Social Work, Doctoral Program, and certificate programs) and conducts applied research through five units: Consortium on School Research, IMPACT, Network for College Success, To & Through Project, and Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP). The institute's purpose is to transform education by connecting research, practice, and policy to ensure equity and success for every student, serving 65 cities across 38 states.

Product overview

The Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago offers a comprehensive academic portfolio centered around its Master of Arts Program in Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration (AM degree equivalent to MSW) and Doctoral Program. The school provides multiple certificate programs (Post-Master's School Social Worker Endorsement, Non-Profit Management, Kiphart Scholars in Global Health) and operates the Kersten Institute for Urban Education, which houses five research units: Consortium on School Research, IMPACT, Network for College Success, To & Through Project, and Urban Teacher Education Program. The Development in Sociocultural Context (DISC) Lab conducts youth development research. Students can choose from five pathway options: Children and Families in System Contexts, Disrupting Poverty/Economic Inequality, Global Health and Social Development, Integrating Health/Mental Health/Social Care, and Transforming Justice/Violence Prevention. The school also operates the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development and maintains global partnerships with institutions including Tata Institute of Social Sciences (India), Peking University (China), and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The institution is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kersten Institute for Urban Education: Institute focused on transforming education by connecting research, practice, and policy to ensure equity and success for every student
• DISC Lab (Development in Sociocultural Context)

Products and services

• Master of Arts Program in Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration (AM) The Crown Family School's primary graduate degree program equivalent to an MSW, preparing students to engage complex social challenges across practice, policy, research, and leadership through flexible enrollment options and distinctive areas of study.
• Doctoral Program PhD program preparing students for advanced research and academic careers in social work, policy, and social development.
• Post-Master's School Social Worker Endorsement Certificate Certificate program designed to prepare participants to become effective practitioners within the context of the public school system.
• Certificate in Non-Profit Management Professional certificate program for graduate students seeking to develop management skills for non-profit organizations.
• Kiphart Scholars Program in Global Health and Social Development Scholarship program for students committed to assuming leadership in the development and provision of policies, programs, and practices that address problems in the international social development arena.
• Kersten Institute for Urban Education Institute home to five key units (Consortium on School Research, IMPACT, Network for College Success, To & Through Project, and Urban Teacher Education Program) working to transform education by connecting research, practice, and policy to ensure equity and success for every student.
• Development in Sociocultural Context (DISC) Lab Research lab focusing on understanding the diverse influences that shape young people's development, examining the impact of school, peer, family, and community settings on achievement motivation, engagement, behavioral and academic identities, and emotional well-being.
• Consortium on School Research Research unit conducting high technical quality research to inform and assess policy and practice in Chicago Public Schools.
• Network for College Success (NCS) Program working to cultivate postsecondary readiness and success for all students by translating research into practice and supporting high school leaders.
• To & Through Project Project striving to create equitable education outcomes for Chicago Public Schools students by helping educators use data for inquiry and impact.
• Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP) Program preparing aspiring teachers for successful and long-lasting careers in urban schools.
• Global Social Development Practice Program (GSDP) Program integrating cross-national and comparative content into curriculum, including study-abroad and internship placement opportunities with partner institutions.
• Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development Center serving as the University's gateway for addressing social determinants of health and improving infrastructure to promote community health and well-being around the world, established with a $25 million gift in February 2021 and opened in May 2022.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% competency achievement benchmark across all 9 CSWE competencies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Southside TogetherminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 November 2024Community-based organization partner in the Kiphart Challenge Experiential Learning Course focused on migration services in Chicago. Students collaborated with organization to develop policy or program proposals meeting organizational needs.
• Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 November 2024Community-based organization partner in the Kiphart Challenge Experiential Learning Course. Students worked with SWOP to address critical gaps in services for migrants including housing, legal assistance, education, and mental health services.
• Multicultural Arts High SchoolminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 November 2024Educational institution partner in the Kiphart Challenge Experiential Learning Course. Students developed welcome guides for high school students to help new migrant students acclimate to their new school environment.
• Urban InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Co-authored report 'Examining Afghan Evacuees' Resettlement: Insights and Lessons for Future Humanitarian Populations' with Crown Family School's Jessica Darrow as co-author. Based on 36 interviews with Afghan evacuees and 51 interviews with community stakeholders across Chicago, San Antonio, and northern Virginia.
• Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Intensive Institute in China established in 2013 in partnership with Hong Kong Polytechnic University focusing on responses to social exclusion in Hong Kong, mainland China, and the United States. Part of Tripartite Collaboration launched in 2016 with PKU.
• Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual intensive one-month study-abroad program on urban poverty and community practice for Master's students in collaboration with TISS in Mumbai, India, the oldest established school of social work in that country. Includes reciprocal exchange in Chicago where TISS students engage in a parallel program.
• Peking University (PKU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished relationship with Peking University, home to mainland China's oldest and most well-established social work program. Part of the China Collaborative sponsored by Council of Social Work Education (US), China Association of Social Work Educators, and International Association of Schools of Social Work.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare: Public research university MSW/PhD program with strong research-practice orientation, comparable urban community engagement, and similar discipline breadth (children, health, justice).
• NYU Silver School of Social Work: Private university MSW program with comparable urban setting, multiple concentration pathways, and active research portfolio. Direct competitor in metropolitan NYC market and parallel academic positioning.
• University of Michigan School of Social Work: One of the nation's leading public university MSW/PhD programs with similar research-practice integration and strong urban/community-focused concentrations. Highly comparable in academic profile and CSWE accreditation rigor.
• University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2): Private Ivy League MSW program combining social work with policy practice — closely mirrors Crown Family School's 'Social Work, Policy, and Practice' brand and degree architecture.
• Boston College School of Social Work: Private university MSW program with strong research-practice integration, comparable program size, and similar emphasis on clinical and macro practice concentrations.
• Columbia University School of Social Work: Top-ranked private university MSW program offering AM/CSWE-accredited degrees with concentrations in clinical, advanced clinical, and policy practice. Direct competitor for the same applicant pool and faculty talent as Crown Family School.

Broad incumbents

• Harvard Graduate School of Education: Premier education research school that overlaps with the Kersten Institute's urban education research mission. Broader scope (Ed.D., Ph.D., Ed.M.) but competes for the same urban education research profile.
• Stanford Graduate School of Education: Top education research school with strong urban education policy focus and DISC-Lab-style youth development research. Direct competitor for urban education research funding and faculty.

Regional players

• University of Washington School of Social Work: Leading West Coast MSW/PhD program with comparable research-practice and policy-practice structure; operates in Pacific Northwest rather than Midwest but is a near-twin in academic profile.
• University of Illinois at Chicago School of Social Work: Chicago-based public MSW program — direct local competitor sharing the same metro market for field placements, students, and faculty as Crown Family School in Chicago.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-university-of-chicago-urban-education-institute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute