Global skills gap: here to stay? Not if new American university can help it
In less than a year, Nexford has closed its seed round of $4 million (April 2018), mobilized a team of full-time faculty and experts including employees from Ivy League schools and designed a curriculum based on learner and employer needs.
The landmark event is recognition that the online American university, headquartered in Washington DC, in the US, meets the rigorous criteria set out by the regulatory, consumer protection body.
Fadl Al Tarzi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) NXU, said: “It’s exciting knowing that we’re now able to grant licensed degree programs to help prepare learners for the global workplace.
“Our mission, to enable greater social and economic mobility across the world by providing learners access to high-quality, affordable, dynamic education, is becoming a reality thanks to the vigorous efforts of our team.”
The university analyzed more than 30 million job vacancies and surveyed the employers of 2.5 million people worldwide to develop an academic model that will bridge the skills gap between learners and employers.
NXU will launch its pilot program, NexFirst, in the US as well as markets such as the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt in January 2019.
Dr Jay A Halfond, Professor of the Practice, Boston University, said: “Nexford is building something that addresses the ever-growing need for quality, accessible, higher education.”
According to a UNESCO report, the number of students in higher education will double to 262 million by 2025, fueled by India, China and Sub-Saharan Africa. To meet this demand would require launching four new universities weekly for the next 15 years.
Dr Halfond, who is also an advisory board member at NXU, added: “The world can’t build enough residential campuses to keep up with demand. The university will tackle a critical global need and fill a current void: demand for affordable, credible education.”
The District of Columbia acknowledges that NXU, which will enhance learner success using technology such as AI and machine learning, offers legitimate, quality postsecondary education.
NXU will offer the following degrees and certificates: Associate of Applied Science in Business (AAS), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Masters of Business Administration (MBA), nine undergraduate and three graduate certificates in the field of business. It will also offer a range of specializations to match high-growth employment areas such as Data Science, Sustainable Energy, and Artificial Intelligence.
Expressing his enthusiasm, CEO Al Tarzi said: “We’re on a mission to bring to the world a truly affordable, next-generation online American university: it’s reassuring to know that an innovative academic model can receive the necessary regulatory approvals we know learners value.”
NXU graduates will receive degrees licensed by the Higher Education Commission of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education for Washington DC. All institutions of higher education licensed by the Higher Education Licensure Commission are governed by District of Columbia Municipal regulations Title 5, SubTitle A: Chapter 5-A80 Postsecondary Degree Granting Institutions.
