Who We Are The Center for Distance Education Research is a professional organization dedicated to promoting student access, engagement, and success in distance learning. Who We Serve The Center serves to generate and inform a renewed interest in distance education in U.S. higher education institutions, and strives to make vital contributions to higher education research, policy, and practice. We desire to conduct research on the issues affecting distance education and work with colleges and states to improve student access, student engagement, student success, and institutional performance.