Philanthropic Giving in Higher Education

Every year, billions are pumped into University Endowment Funds. The $32 billion Harvard has sitting in a bank earned it $6 million every ten hours on interest alone. Recently, University of Southern California (USC) announced a $6 billion dollar fundraising campaign. Yet, across the board, tuition rates have risen four times faster than the rate of inflation, and an endless number of individuals worldwide are priced out of education. The community colleges what were created to assist in providing an affordable option to service individuals in need throughout the United States are struggling to make ends meet in the midst of massive budget cuts. The gap between available, affordable education and education for the privileged elite isn’t just growing – it’s actually creating a situation where soon there may not be many affordable options left if there isn’t a disruptive change.

It doesn’t need to be so difficult for low income tiered individuals to attain higher education and create opportunities to break out of poverty and achieve their dreams. With only one thousandth of the $6 billion USC is asking, the tuition-free, nonprofit University of the People (UoPeople) will be fully financially sustainable. While UoPeople is an excellent institution, it can’t possibly service alone the hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide in need. Thus, the hope is that universities, governments, and nonprofits will follow suit to adopt the innovative UoPeople model and provide additional affordable offerings worldwide and disrupt the current status quo.

Philanthropic giving in education is a beautiful gift to the world and future generations. For only $6 million, UoPeople will be able to educate tens of thousands of individuals, forever. Help UoPeople reach sustainability. You can change the present cycle and help make education a right for all, and not a privilege for a few.

GIVE YOUR GIFT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Exposure to Diversity and Peace

“The more contact we have with one another and the more we come to understand each other’s values, the greater will be our mutual respect.” – Dalai Lama

A couple weeks ago, I attended EMV2011: Third Worldwide Meeting on Human Values Monterrery, Mexico on September 8th – 10th 2011. This phenomenal three day call-to-action involved inspirational speeches and discussions on conscience, imagination/education, and conflict resolution/peace processes.

The Dalai Lama spoke about building harmony and peace. Additionally, I spoke about access to quality higher education for all.

As I reflect on the incredibly moving speeches given at EMV2011, I feel reinforced that the driving vision behind University of the People, which is grounded in the belief that universal access to education is a key ingredient in the promotion of world peace, is the right vision.

Education impacts not only the lives of individuals—their income, health and quality of life, but also the societies in which they live. Crime rates, social awareness, economic stability and sustainable development are often tied to the accessibility of education. Education also leads to other social benefits, such as a more socially engaged and informed citizenry, lower child mortality and better child health. It is also crucial to efforts to promote equality and world peace. Educated people are more likely to have been exposed to diversity, to new ideas and ways of thinking. Consequently, they are more likely to be open minded, accepting of difference, and, having invested in their futures, are less likely to turn to violence, crime and terrorism.

Our goal therefore should be to educate as many people as possible, particularly in regions of protracted conflict, such as the Middle East. Bringing together students considered ‘enemies’ outside the classroom, such as Israelis and Palestinians or Indians and Pakistanis, can have positive benefits throughout whole societies, as students learn that they have more in common than they would have thought, and that their commonalities outweigh their differences.

Understanding this valuable role that exposure to diversity has on promoting peace and understanding, University of the People provides students with heightened exposure to diversity. In a typical virtual classroom, twenty students or more are likely to have come from twenty or more different countries. This accelerated exposure to diversity increases the chances for mutual respect across cultures and religions, and plays a key ingredient in education’s role within the promotion of peace.

There are lessons always being learned and new challenges arising with respect to education and the fostering of peace. However, I am confident that University of the People is prepared and wholehearted in tackling these challenges as part of our continuous pursuit of building a scalable model for the future of global higher education – building not just any model, but one with the capacity to promote the development of world peace.

The Affordable Education Route

University of the People is a part of the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement. As such, we think it is important to highlight important resources that assist the growth of the OER movement and recommend, for those interested in online study, that you take a look at a new resource available.

People can study almost everything online nowadays. With the support of the Gates Foundation, well-known educational author, Anya Kamenetz’s was able to put together a reference book, The Edupunk’s Guide to a DIY Credential. Available for free download, the pdf book is a great starting point if you are looking to study online as it details ways to get an affordable education. Anya starts the book off by explaining that DIY, or Do-it-Yourself, doesn’t “mean that you do it all alone. It means that the resources are in your hands and you’re driving the process.”

She further explains that, “Being an edupunk is not for the faint of heart. Without exception, the students I talked to said that being self-motivated and having good time management skills are absolutely essential for success along a DIY educational path. I would add that you need to be the type of person who’s willing to try something new, even if it’s a little unproven and untested.”

University of the People students were profiled on pages 87 and 88 of the pdf, and we would like to thank the UoPeople students who were interviewed, including those interviewed but possibly not profiled in the book, for taking the time to share their inspiring insights and valuable thoughts.

We encourage you to review Anya’s advice and the resources she details (again, it’s a free resource):

http://www.scribd.com/doc/60954896/EdupunksGuide

Welcome Dr. Preetha Ram – New Dean of General Studies!

UoPeople is pleased to announce Dr. Preetha Ram as University of the People’s new Dean of General Studies. Dr. Ram has significant experience with peer-to-peer learning, international study, and academia. She is an incredible academic pioneer with a passion for international collaboration and her insights will be valuable as UoPeople progresses forward. We want to take the opportunity to thank our former Dean, Geraldine Downey, who stays with us on our General Studies Advisory Committee, for everything she has done for us. We wish Geraldine Downey all the best in her new position, and extend a warm welcome to Dr. Preetha Ram.

Dr. Ram currently serves as the Associate Dean for Pre-Health and Science Education at Emory University. She founded the PreHealth Mentoring Office to advise and mentor students interested in health care professions. She initiated Emory’s ChemMentors program, which promotes peer-led team learning and has now grown into a college wide academic support program called Supplemental Instruction. An international educator, she led the development of a science curriculum for Tibetan monastics at the request of the Dalai Lama. Her efforts led to a growth of science study aboard programs and internationalization initiatives not only at Emory but in other undergraduate institutions.

In addition to her academic achievements, Dr. Ram is a social entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of OpenStudy.com, a social learning network that enables students to connect, get help and study together. The site provides access to study help in real-time, anytime, across institutional boundaries and international borders.
Dr. Ram received her PhD in biophysical chemistry from Yale, holds an MBA from Emory, and an MSc in Chemistry from IIT Delhi. She earned an undergraduate degree from Women’s Christian College, Chennai, India. Dr. Ram has been recognized with several awards and honors including Emory College’s Excellence in Teaching Award for the Natural Sciences for her teaching, the Winship Award for outstanding lecturer faculty, the Emory Goizueta Business Schools’ Entrepreneurship Award for her startup, and a national award from the Institute of International Education, the 2007 Andrew Heiskell Award for her work on internationalization of science.

We look forward to the exceptional work Dr. Preetha Ram will be doing in her new role, assisting the creation of academic goals and objectives while overseeing the general studies core curricula and instructional staff.

Is Tuition-Free the Same as Free Learning?

In order to clear up any confusion, we want to take this opportunity to clarify exactly what UoPeople provides.

University of the People provides universal access to tuition-free online post-secondary education to qualified students in order that students may be able to overcome any geographic or financial limitations and access higher learning.

We have a tuition-free model whereby there is no charge for the cost of instruction, books, teachers or annual enrollment. However, we are not what can be classified as totally free learning or free online learning. Free learning, or free online learning, is what can be found within the open educational resource movement. Open Educational Resources (OER) enable individuals everywhere to study and learn topics of interest. We encourage all interested to look at these resources if interested in learning a course here or there for free online.

Yet, while OER can further an individual’s knowledge, many people need beyond just knowledge – they need the right credentials and global experience to compete in today’s job market. Many employers not only demand that their employees possess the requisite knowledge and skills, but that they hold relevant degrees.

UoPeople is part of the open educational resources movement and we utilize open educational content in our courses. However, what makes UoPeople unique, is that we take open educational resources, give them to course designers who modify and enhance course materials, add in excellent instructors, peer to peer learning, a grading system, student services support, and other benefits found in a university to provide fully developed tuition-free degree programs. Thus, in order for the non-profit UoPeople to remain sustainable and provide for degree courses complete with student support, there are nominal application processing fees charged. Examination processing fees will be charged in the future. We remain dedicated to the democratization of higher education, and as such, UoPeople works hard to ensure financial limitations do not inhibit any qualified student from attending, and offers University Grants to students for the application processing fee to students based on place of residence. The application processing fee ranges between $10-$50, depending on the applicant’s place of residence and the University Grant provided.

Currently, University of the People offers the following four undergraduate degrees: Associate (A.S.-B.A.) and Bachelor (B.S.-B.A.) degrees in Business Administration and Associate (A.S.-C.S.) and Bachelor (B.S.-C.S.) degrees in Computer Science.

We hope this helps clarify what UoPeople provides as a non-profit, tuition-free, online academic institution dedicated to the democratization of higher education globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

UoPeople: An Educational Opportunity for Post-Conflict Societies

This week South Sudan became the world’s newest nation. While the details of independence still need to be sorted out completely, the building blocks of a peaceful relationship between Sudan and South Sudan have hopefully been laid.

Now with peace, comes rebuilding, and education is crucial to rebuilding efforts. According to the World Bank, education is considered “essential for civic order and citizenship and for sustained economic growth and the reduction of poverty.” In general, educational opportunity impacts the health of societies, improves the well being of individuals and increases the quality of living for both individuals and families.

As a university dedicated to the democratization of higher education globally, UoPeople can be a part of helping South Sudan provide quality education, assisting it with rebuilding its higher education sector. The online, tuition-free model of UoPeople can be especially useful for countries in transition and post-conflict societies, such as Sudan and South Sudan, that do not necessarily have the resources to invest in traditional brick and mortar universities at present.

As such, UoPeople opens the gates to education for all –South Sudanese and Sudanese – and hopes that educational opportunity can assist in bringing about economic stability for both countries.

UoPeople salutes the announcement of peace, and welcomes the ushering of the dawn of a new era – one encompassing peaceful progress and not civil war.

Inspired Visions of Change

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining 1,000 other social entrepreneurs at the Ashoka Changemaker’s Campus on June 21-22 to help design social solutions. With so many other social entrepreneurs around me, I could feel the energy of how our world is changing – for the better. Every one of us left the Ashoka Changemaker’s Campus event more energized, inspired, and committed to further changing society.

Ashoka is the global association of the world’s leading entrepreneurs. I was honored to have been nominated as an Ashoka Fellow in 2010. As a Fellow, I attend events to help share my knowledge with others, as well as continue my personal commitment to create social change with University of the People. However, while being nominated as an Ashoka Fellow is a privilege, Ashoka, and myself, believe that everyone is a changemaker – down to the choices you make, the businesses you wish to start, and the dreams you put into action. Many of UoPeople’s students have expressed their hope to start socially responsible enterprises and non-profits upon graduating from UoPeople, and we could not be happier knowing that we have inspired visions of change that they will one day create.

The world of the future – will it be a peaceful world? An environmentally stable world? A favorable world that embraces diversity and is accepting of people’s differences? The choice is up to each one of us to create the world we wish to live in: What change will you make?

UoPeople Students: How would you like to intern with Hewlett Packard, the world’s largest technology company?

UoPeople is pleased to announce a partnership with Hewlett Packard (HP), which provides UoPeople students the ability to apply for online research internships to work with the HP Catalyst Initiative – a global network of consortia that brings together leading educational institutions and NGOs. Select UoPeople students who are chosen to intern with HP will work with the consortia on the research and results of various projects within education, technology and health.

Gabi Zedlmayer, VP, Office of Global Social Innovation, HP explains that “HP has a longstanding commitment to global citizenship and education, and we strongly believe in the work UoPeople is doing to democratize higher education. By educating the underserved through online classrooms, UoPeople exemplifies the innovative use of technology, and we are thrilled to contribute to this effort by welcoming UoPeople in to the consortia.”

Designed to prepare underprivileged youth for the world economy, this is truly an important opportunity for our students. UoPeople seeks not only to educate students, but also to help them improve their job prospects. Through the internships, students will gain valuable work experience with a global organization like HP, helping to fulfil our ultimate mission.

We are proud to have this opportunity for our students, as well as the recognition of the aptitude and excellence of our students by Hewlett Packard. We look forward to hearing more about the assistance our students will provide HP in making great leaps forward in education, technology and health.

Please join us in celebrating our new HP partnership and this exciting internship opportunity for students by letting us know your thoughts and comments.

What’s Next for Haiti?

It’s been a year and half since Haiti’s devastating earthquake where approximately over half a million individuals were either killed or injured and a million were left homeless. A little over thirty days ago, Michel Martelly was inaugurated as Haiti’s new president. As the flow of aid was interrupted following election chaos, and much of the money pledged to Haiti after the earthquake has as of yet not been delivered to aid projects, we all hope that now reconstruction can begin in earnest and Haiti can intensify the pace of rebuilding to begin anew.

Reconstruction is crucial for Haiti. Many of UoPeople’s own students still live in tent cities, such as the one below, after losing everything in the earthquake:

University of the People is working tirelessly to help provide a longer term solution for Haiti. In order to enable Haitian students, many of whom do not have access to computers or internet connection, to be able to undertake their studies, UoPeople works with local allies to locate places where students can study. These Student Computer Centers are furnished with computers, electricity, back-up generators and internet. The first Student Computer Center opened in Thomassin, Port-au-Prince, where the inaugural class consisted of 16 students. In February 2011, two new centers in Port-au-Prince and in Mirebalais, respectively, opened their doors to a further 17 students who commenced their studies at UoPeople. Seventeen new students commenced their studies in mid-April 2011 bringing the total so far to over 50 Haitian students accepted to UoPoeple, with many more set to commence in the upcoming term, starting next week.

There is no doubt that education is extremely important to the rebuilding of Haiti. However, as UoPeople and others work towards providing educational opportunities in Haiti, there is an understanding that to really combat the “brain drain,” there has to be strong efforts in other reconstruction areas. We hope recent events will promote stability and lay the groundwork for the intense rebuilding and reconstructing efforts needed to re-build Haiti – helping this beautiful country flourish.

The Gates Open Further for Students: Collaborating with NYU to Identify Top Students Eligible for Transfer to NYU Abu Dhabi

When I met Shai last year, I told him that we are so committed to his agenda that we have to be partners. Our mission is spreading our education and knowledge, and if we can find some amazing kids from sub-Saharan Africa or Haiti through this wonderful vehicle of the University of the People and set an example among elite schools with resources, so much the better. – John Sexton, President of NYU

This could be perhaps one of the biggest milestones for University of the People to date: NYU and UoPeople have established an agreement as announced in The New York Times on June 8 2011.

To have NYU recognize the work we are doing, collaborate with us to identify top students eligible for transfer to NYU – Abu Dhabi Campus, and work to ensure bright UoPeople students receive generous scholarships, is phenomenal. We have worked very hard to strive for quality in our work while opening the gates to higher education for individuals around the world, and now have received the supportive acknowledgement of both our quality and the aptitude of our students from NYU.

Our collaboration with NYU is not only a milestone for UoPeople, but also one within academia itself. For too long, underprivileged youth have been shut out of the opportunity to progress academically, largely because of financial reasons, but also because of the lack of resources available. We are so excited that the time has finally come for those less financially fortunate to be able to seize the opportunity presented and go as far as they can with it, including the potential to transfer to NYU Abu Dhabi – one of the most selective institutions in the world.

Our mission is to democratize higher education worldwide: what an achievement to see the gates of opportunity for our students opening wider, extending out to NYU. For all our students living in tents in Haiti or elsewhere, living as refugees after genocides or expulsion, living in extreme conditions of poverty, struggling to eat a meal but still determined to study – this opportunity is for you more than ever before. Stay focused on your studies; keep your determination to excel at every course and overcome every challenge; and prove to yourself, and the world, that when the playing field to opportunity is leveled, every individual has the capability to progress forward and change our world for the better.