This conference held at the Biltmore Hotel, Providence September 8-9, 2012 is designed to bring higher education leaders in historic environment programs together from across the globe to present their research, discuss these questions, and begin to offer answers that will produce better historic environment specialists and further define educators’ roles and responsibilities in the greater professional and public arena. The goal of the conference is to share best practices, current research, and the metrics of academic and professional activities in the field that can help to inform higher education institutions and organizations that provide curriculum guidance and pedagogical practices to historic environment programs. The conference features an extensive list of co-sponsors including the University of Georgia, Clemson University, the College of Charleston, and the University of Florida.