The application and effectiveness of interinstitutional cooperative approaches to academic program development are analyzed, with attention to local, regional, and interstate geographic levels. The rationale for interinstitutional cooperation as well as actions taken by state governing boards to promote the use of this planning strategy within statewide systems of higher education are discussed. In order to operationalize interinstitutional cooperation as a planning strategy to improve academic program development, four planning considerations are needed: basic planning requirements, incentives for planning, planning models, and planning processes. In response to actions taken by state boards, consortia of institutions have acquired the added means to operate more effectively. These consortia have developed and implemented seven interinstitutional cooperative approaches to mutually improve academic program development: articulation agreements, student and staff exchange programs, resource sharing agreements, educational exchange programs, private/public cooperative agreements, and international exchange programs. Recommendations are offered for improving the effectiveness of interinstitutional cooperation through the use of institutional research. (SW)