WCET has a long and successful history in fostering collaborative projects, sharing valuable information, and facilitating community networking among the most established and innovative higher education institutions and organizations.

WCET was founded by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) to meet a growing need to integrate distance learning and educational technology into the academic services of higher education institutions in the western region.

WICHE is one of four regional U.S. interstate compacts, with a diverse portfolio of programs and priorities that help students pursue higher education affordably and conveniently, accelerate region-wide sharing of ideas and resources, provide expert research and policy guidance, and prepare universities, colleges, and communities for social, economic and technological change.