Shai Reshef

True Rehabilitation Is Through Education: A Case for Haiti's Future

2013-01-11T14:01:00-05:00

The question begs to be answered -- why does Haiti still look virtually untouched after the earthquake of 2010?

As of January 1, 2013 there are approximately $6 billion dollars left to disperse towards Haiti's rehabilitation. $6 billion has already been dispersed in three years. And this is only from the bilateral and multilateral donors. $3 billion additional poured in from private donors, for a total of $9 billion by the international community.

Essentially, we are $9 billion dollars later, and Haiti looks as though the earthquake happened yesterday. One could deduce that the reasons for the apparent failure should be complex. On the contrary, the primary reasons for much of the lull in progress are relatively straightforward.

First, much of the dispersed funds went to urgent matters of survival and shelter for those affected. The earthquake killed 316,000 individuals, and left 1.5 million homeless. In a country of 10 million, that is 15 percent of the entire population. Almost 400,000 people still live in tents today, three years later.

Second, and what most people don't actually address often, is that the amount dispersed is sadly only a fraction of what Haiti needs. To provide perspective, the horrendous Hurricane Katrina of the United States left 1,833 Americans dead and an estimated $81 billion in property damage.

To make matters more complicated, starting about ten months after the earthquake, Haiti was hit with a cholera epidemic that resulted in 625,899 cases of cholera and 7,787 dead to date. Aid was requested to respond, so $186.2 million in the allocated international humanitarian funding went just in support of the cholera response.

Of the $6 billion from bilateral and multilateral donors, only an estimated 10 percent has been channeled to the Government of Haiti to pump back into its own country. All the rest has gone to international aid organizations; doing amazing work for sure, and yet, this tactic is contrary to proven successful measures of building a country back up again. Money needs to go to the people of Haiti, via its own government mobilizing its people to create jobs by investing in education, security, infrastructure improvements, and more.

In the meantime, there is a whole generation needing an urgent solution to an educational problem. There are many bright, ambitious, young Haitians lifting their eyes to the future, full of hope and a blazing need for education. With 28 out of Haiti's 32 universities destroyed in the earthquake, and architecture rehabilitation lagging behind with aid allocated to survival needs, these young people at least have a place to obtain the higher education they desperately need -- tuition-free. If there is one plea it is for the fulfillment of their hope -- and thankfully, there is hope to be found.

University of the People (UoPeople) -- the world's tuition-free, non-profit, online university dedicated to servicing all those constrained -- has already admitted close to 100 Haitian individuals for the attainment of degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science. University of the People is currently, recruiting awareness for the 150 additional Haitian's the university strives to admit with the securing of funds for its Haitian Scholarship Fund.

You can help give hope and a future for the young of Haiti. By empowering through education, we can provide a real future for Haitians to create their own businesses and attain employment. On behalf of the millions of youth in need of higher education in Haiti today, thank you for considering the role you can play.

Don't Forsake Haiti: A Message From Joe Jean

2013-01-11T10:11:09-05:00

Joe Jean, a student from University of the People, is now studying at NYU Abu Dhabi. He lives in Cap-Haitian, Haiti.

I would like to say the Haitian earthquake three years ago this month ruined everything. But, sadly, there wasn't much to ruin.

When the earthquake hit my country, life was already very hard for me, just like it was -- and is -- for many Haitians. I dreamt about going to college, but knew that my family was too poor to afford it. I wanted more, but had no idea how to achieve it.

And then the earthquake came and pushed me even far away from my dream. Twenty-eight of our 32 universities were wiped out, and the remaining four were hit hard.

But I didn't give up. Now, on the anniversary of the earthquake that hit at the heart of my homeland, I want to tell the world not to give up on Haiti either.

Memories of the earthquake are still so vivid to me. I lost one cousin who was studying nursing in Port-au-Prince. The earthquake has made living in Haiti harder than before since it has impacted negatively all aspects of our lives. But I know that without higher education, all hope is lost.

My quest for a higher education began in 2006, when I passed the TOEFL English language test, which would allow me to apply to a U.S. college. But in 2007, things started falling apart at home.

My father was hit by elephantiasis and couldn't work. My mother could not afford to pay for any quality local university for me because she still had to support my two little brothers and my little sister's education. It was always my intention to help support their education once I finished college, but suddenly that wasn't even a possibility.

I didn't give up though, and managed to get a scholarship to study computer science at a private college in Port-au-Prince, about four hours away from my hometown of Cap-Haitian. Yet, the classes were not serious, and I started to question whether it was even worth attending. Unfortunately, the earthquake made that decision for me when the campus was destroyed.

I returned to Cap-Haitian, feeling even farther away from my dream of a college education than before I left. This was just another setback, I told myself, and switched my focus to looking for a virtual educational opportunity, one that would not be ruined by lack of funds or natural disasters. And then, I found University of the People, a tuition-free online university. It was one of those moments in life when everything suddenly changes.

I began UoPeople as soon as possible. I had no Internet access at home, so I would go to a local cafe where I paid about 76 cents an hour in order to study. I would bring a used laptop given to me by an old high school classmate who moved to Canada. To save money I would try to download as much material as possible at the cafe and then do the work offline at home. This worked pretty well, except when the electricity went out, which happened frequently.

When UoPeople opened a computer center with a local NGO, this made my life much easier. After a few months I was showing up early to help other students figure things out. I volunteered on a full-time basis, with no pay at the center for months. Eventually, I was offered a very small compensation but I could not live on it, so I found more work and balanced my jobs, my studies and my family responsibilities.

While I was studying, UoPeople announced its partnership with New York University to enable the best students to apply to NYU Abu Dhabi, I immediately applied, honestly not really even being able to imagine a world away from Haiti, but anxious to try for this amazing opportunity. I was invited to the Candidate Weekend in Abu Dhabi. However, in order to fly to Abu Dhabi, I had to travel through the US and needed a transit visa. I couldn't get the U.S. Embassy to expedite my interview. After all attempts failed, I was heartbroken.

Then a miracle happened. I was granted the transit visa, and made it on time to the Candidates Weekend. One of 15,000 vying for 150 spots at Abu Dhabi, the odds were completely stacked against me. But I beat the odds. This September, I started my studies, on a full scholarship, at NYU Abu Dhabi.

I am telling you my story because I need you to know that I am not the only one like me. We Haitians have endured and continue to endure enormous daily travails. Many things go wrong in our country, and this is what the world tends to see again and again.

But many things go right too, and it is because of Haitians like me who won't give up until they beat the odds.

And so I ask you not to forget about Haiti, because we still need your help to heal our broken land. On the anniversary of this terrible tragedy I want to make sure this hope, our hope, is not forgotten.

A Higher Ed Opportunity for All Undocumented Immigrants

2013-01-07T15:01:37-05:00

After President Obama signed into law DACA, or "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals," this past August, over 300,000 eligible undocumented students rushed to submit paperwork. To anyone following the hard work done by advocates of the Dream Act over the last 11 years, this should come as no surprise. There is an enormous desire for higher education among all Americans, regardless of citizenship or financial status.

At University of the People -- the world's first non-profit, tuition-free, online university dedicated to opening access to higher education -- we were thrilled when we heard the news that Dreamers would have a chance, albeit temporary, to study and work legally in the United States. However, we also knew that only two million of the 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States qualify for DACA or the Dream Act, leaving millions behind who are still locked out of institutions of higher education.

This is why we decided to launch an Undocumented Immigrant Scholarship Fund, so that we may support all those in the U.S. who wish to better themselves and their communities through an advanced degree regardless of legal standing. At UoPeople we offer all students a tuition-free education, through our unique combination of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning with open-source technology and Open Educational Resources. To remain sustainable, we charge students nominal fees for end-of-course exam processing. With this scholarship, those nominal fees will be covered for those undocumented immigrants in greater need.

To be eligible for the Dream Act or DACA, individuals must have arrived in the U.S. before their 16th birthday, be under 31 years of age, continuously resided in the U.S. for the past five years, and not convicted of a felony or significant misdemeanor. Also, these students will have to renew their status every two years, and, even with DACA, may still not be eligible for school funding.

We wanted to create an opportunity for the many undocumented immigrants who don't fit this profile, or are unable to renew their status in two years, should that still be a possibility.

In fact, we are already serving students in the U.S. who dreamt of a higher education, but do not qualify for the Dream Act. Such is the case with J., a Guatemalan and one of UoPeople's current students, who has all the qualifications for the Dream Act and DACA, except for the fact that he is 33.

"I came as a teenager to the U.S. After graduating high school, it was extremely difficult for me to get an education before UoPeople. I tried community college, but they told me I didn't have proper documentation. Also, there were no funds available for me. Everyone rejected me because of my legal standing. My whole life I have worked hard, with 12-15 hours a day in restaurants while I also paid to learn English as well as take computer courses. If not for UoPeople, I would not have been able to further my education. Now I am putting all my efforts into my courses at the university. I am studying business administration. This is a real dream for me."

To deny the ability to attain a higher education to 12 million undocumented immigrants is a tragedy on a human rights level, but also on an economic level. Many undocumented immigrants pay their significant share of taxes. According to Arianna Huffington, "Contributions from undocumented immigrants using fake Social Security numbers total 10 percent of the annual Social Security surplus, which is about $50 billion. Low-skilled immigrants contribute as much as $10 billion to the U.S. economy every year." (Right Is Wrong, by Arianna Huffington, p.236 , Apr 29, 2008)

Imagine if these hard working individuals were better educated, and thus were able to secure higher paying jobs, and contribute even more back to the society. Isn't that what America is all about? If anyone epitomizes pulling themselves up from their bootstraps, it is undocumented immigrants.

University of the People is proud to recognize the right of every single human being on this planet, regardless of legal status, to attain affordable and accessible higher education. Educational discrimination, especially in a country such as America, is a tragedy. Within every one of us lies the potential to excel and contribute back to our communities, countries, and ultimately, the world. Let's stop the educational discrimination and embrace the concept of enabling everyone to reach their potential.

Why You Are So Fortunate and Lucky

2012-12-19T11:11:34-05:00

The ability to read this blog makes you more fortunate than nearly 900 million adults in the world who cannot read at all. Simply having money in the bank, your wallet, and some spare change, makes you among some of the worlds luckiest. You are not longing for an education that seems desperately and severely unaffordable for you. Moreover, having adequate shelter, means you are at a greater advantage than 640 million children, or 1 in every 3 children.

While not everyone is granted the same livelihoods at birth, we do know one well-acknowledged solution to help break the vicious cycle of poverty -- through quality, accessible education. No one should be forced to have a repeated destiny based on a poor upbringing by denying a person the chance to attain a quality education. We can change the future of many through education, and help reverse the psychological, physical and social repercussions of being brought up in poverty. Education has the power to empower, inspire, motivate and ultimately, provide additional opportunities.

Many of the over 1,500 students admitted to the non-profit, tuition-free University of the People have previously experienced hindrances that have caused them to miss out on education. For example, Adedoyin's family was experiencing financial difficulty. She could not afford textbooks or to dress well or to feel herself well. With all her difficulties, she could not continue on at the Nigerian University she was enrolled at. She was shut out from continuing with her dream of business management and because of her financial situation, was only able to get a secretarial diploma. Now she is studying business administration at UoPeople because she can finally afford the education she deserves.

According to another student, Assan S., from Uganda, ""Like many Africans, I was born in a polygamous family to never-educated parents who were land tillers. We are more than 25 siblings. When my father died, I had to struggle on my own to go school and care for my mother and siblings. I had lost all hopes of ever attaining a University degree because I had no source of tuition fees. University of the people came to my rescue."

It is not just Adedoyin or Assan that have struggled to attain education -- many of UoPeople's students have suffered because of their hardships. Education was not a right for them, but a privilege for others. Now the future for 1500 students has changed for the better - they found a door that was open to them.

It is not possible for us to fully understand how these students felt and what they have experienced with all their hardships, but we can help others like them to drastically change their futures and improve their lives by lending a hand. To permanently advance their lives, we must commit ourselves to recognizing the problem, finding a solution, and ensuring that it is acted upon immediately.

You too can be a part of the solution to change many futures. You can help someone at a financial disadvantage go to school and receive the privilege that others have benefited from so easily.

Let's Not Stop at the Promise of Only Primary Education for Malala

2012-10-25T07:28:21-04:00

As 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban for wanting to go to school, is undergoing treatment in the United Kingdom, it's time we all reflect upon what her desires really mean.

Malala was protesting her right to go to primary school, the most basic of educational needs and one that is the foundation for all educational achievement. Unfortunately, discrimination against female education is not only hindered at the primary school levels. Indeed, gender disparity in secondary education and in tertiary education persists in many parts of the world on a global scale.

Starting with opening access to primary education for females is an excellent beginning to a global problem, but it should not be the end-all of solving this problem. Malala's desire for "education for every girl," echoes behind it not just eradicating female illiteracy rates, but enabling women to learn through tertiary education in order to secure better jobs. Furthermore, on an economic level and not just in the interests of fairness, women consistently pump more of their income back into their families, ensuring the world's next generation of workers and intellects remain healthy and educated. We therefore should do all that we can to open access to women at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

The area of education I am in, as President of the tuition-free, non-profit University of the People (UoPeople), which is designed to open access to higher education, is the tertiary level. At this level of education, this is the best time for us as educators to address gender disparities in higher education for females. The reason is the advent of Open Educational Resources, open source technology, better global telecommunication channels, an emerging and effective pedagogy of peer to peer learning with instructor oversight, and people helping each other. If we amalgamate all of these elements together, and add in volunteers (as was done with UoPeople), the result is online, tuition-free education for all. This structure solves many hindrances women face to continuing on with their education.

First, women in many places are the primary caregivers of children and may not have the flexibility to attend physical classes. The flexibility of anytime, anywhere learning is compatible for stay at home mothers or women who juggle work/family and school commitments. Second, for some women, their religious observance precludes them from studying in the same physical room as a male student -- online learning allows, in many cases, for study alongside their male counterparts in a virtual classroom. Third, many women are culturally discouraged from studying male-dominated subjects, such as computer science. Opening this subject of study for women in the world, allows them to bypass many constraints they would otherwise face if attempting in their home countries to study computer science (for example) in a physical environment. And finally, the structuring of a tuition-free and online institution, make it affordable for women, who sadly, continue to earn less than their male counterparts in many parts of the world.

I propose that for the women who make it through all the challenges of primary education in countries where they are currently at a severe disadvantage, that we, as global citizens, work to apply the tuition-free and online model of UoPeople -- not just to open up more institutions for higher education -- but also secondary education. Clearly, this is not the role of UoPeople to tackle secondary education. However, I am opening up this idea for dialogue in order that governments and non-profits may take the lessons inherent in the flexibility and accessibility of an online, tuition-free university and apply it to secondary education to solve secondary education's gender disparity.

Let's do more than just a promise to Malala for primary education. Let's take her dream and apply it in a practical way, so that women can access education not just through primary education, but all the way to graduating from college.

To donate to UoPeople's Women Scholarship fund:
http://www.uopeople.org/groups/donate_women_scholarship_fund

Lessons from Ada Lovelace for All Women of the World

2012-10-16T11:46:30-04:00

This year, it is on October 16th 2012, that we celebrate Ada Lovelace Day -- an international day celebrating the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and math.

As I reflect on the achievements of Ada Lovelace, credited as the first computer programmer, I cannot help but feel inspired to reach out to more women and encourage woman involvement in STEM initiatives.

Ada Lovelace is widely considered to be the first computer programmer. Née Ada Gordan in 1815, she was the only legitimate child of Lord Byron. Her mother raised her with a focus on mathematics, fearing she would otherwise end up like her unpredictable poet father. After marrying aristocrat William King, who later became Earl of Lovelace in 1838, Ada became Lady Ada King, Countess of Lovelace. In 1833 she was introduced to Charles Babbage, who had plans for something he called the Analytical Engine. This engine was never built, but had all the essential elements of a modern computer. Charles Baggage affectionately called Ada the "Enchantress of Numbers," as her capabilities astounded him and many others.

It was in 1842 that Ada translated an article by an Italian mathematician, Luigi Menabrea, about the Analytical Engine, that her mathematical prowess and intellect was truly highlighted. Her "translation" of the article was three times longer than the original article, and included many original works of hers including "computer programs" and observations for potential uses of the machine, including manipulating symbols and creating music. This article was published, leading her to be credited as the first computer programmer.

Today, there are many female computer programmers, though unfortunately, there are not as many as their male counterparts. Ada stands as an important symbol that women's contributions are crucial for technology, and we should do our best to encourage more women involvement in these fields.

I founded the tuition-free, non-profit University of the People (UoPeople.org) to open access to higher education for all around the world. We teach Computer Science and Business Administration because these are the degrees best able to prepare our graduates to attain the most in-demand jobs. However, we are sadly witnessing drastically more males than female students in our student body, especially in computer science. We would like to change this ratio and encourage more women around the world to pursue STEM-type higher education and careers.

Ada Lovelace can serve as an inspirational role model for women of all ages as they progress forward with their dreams and aspirations in science, technology, engineering and math. Let Ada inspire many more modern-day "Enchantresses of Numbers" to come to light.

Solutions Exist

2012-07-30T10:55:33-04:00

These days, the job crisis seems to be on the tips of everyone's tongues. Almost immediately, that conversation turns to the unprecedented unemployment rates of new degree holders, ultimately falling on the rise of student debt and the new generation of job seekers living with that debt for life.

In a climate in which 1 in 12 recent college graduates, 1 in 5 recent high school, and 1 in 3 college dropouts are unemployed (as reported by Georgetown University's Hard Times Report), we are faced with a question: How do we provide them with the skills necessary to qualify for the approximately 3.4 million available jobs? The numbers indicate that the only answer is more affordable higher education. Unfortunately, for a large segment of the population, it is either unattainable or altogether non-existent.

The economic landscape is in flux, with rapidly changing standards for qualification. Meanwhile, innovation in higher education has essentially remained stagnant. Prospective students are offered few options. As a result, we have a generation of teenagers making financial decisions that will dominate the rest of their lives, leaving them with decades of garnished wages and perpetual debt.

Solutions exist.

More and more, corporations are stepping up, investing in education, and making an impact. Tech giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) has committed to raising standards in affordable education and creating opportunities for those hardworking people that previously had none.

Hewlett-Packard made an investment in human capital through the donation of $200,000 toward full scholarships for 100 women working toward associate's degrees in either Business Administration or Computer Science at the University of the People.

University of the People (UoPeople) is structured to open the gates to higher education for all. The institution charges a one-time application ($50) and subsequent exam processing fees ($100) to students. There are no other fees whatsoever. The entire cost of examination processing fees for a full associate's degree is $2000 and for bachelor's degree is $4,000 per person. That's it. No one is turned away for lack of funds.

While the corporate world is not alone in sponsorship of innovation for employment, it is uniquely poised to invest. It is in the best interest of corporations to support higher education. UoPeople's vision joins with the increasing number of corporations that understand that the future is in an educated workforce and a consumer population unburdened with debt.

For more information about University of the People, visit: http://www.uopeople.org. To donate and sponsor a student, visit: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/uopeople_donate
To donate to the Women's Scholarship Fund, visit: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/WomenCampaign

One Million Support Not Having Tuition!

2012-06-07T12:49:00-04:00

Imagine attending university and not having to pay tuition. With skyrocketing tuition rates worldwide, many think this is a pipe dream. However, it is not.

University of the People (UoPeople) is my nonprofit, online, tuition-free academic institution. Recently, the University crossed the million fans mark on Facebook -- showcasing the exceptional support of UoPeople's mission to open the gates to higher education for everyone. UoPeople is second, in the number of supporters out of all universities on Facebook, only to Harvard University.

Today, people are sharing, learning, teaching and helping each other online in unprecedented amounts -- making this tendency a natural part of structured education seems inevitable. As the largest social network, it makes sense for Facebook to be looked upon by many as a potential facilitator in education.

Facebook, specifically, is an integral part of the daily activity of UoPeople -- from admissions, throughout student's studies, and all the way through graduation. Applicants and students alike receive feedback on their questions via our University Page and student's network amongst themselves on student-created UoPeople Facebook groups.

The need for education reaches every corner of the world. The University's million supporters hail from developed and developing countries alike, including Ghana, the United States, Iraq, Haiti, Indonesia, Malaysia, Algeria, Peru, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Egypt, France, Sri Lanka, Canada, Palestine, Jordan, Hungary, Tunisia, Philippines, Brazil, Morocco, Mauritius, Argentina, Cambodia and more.

This outpouring of support, while humbling for us, is moreover the calling for a new dawn in higher education. There is no reason for people to still be shut out of higher education. Indeed, additional universities can be built on UoPeople's successful model, which combines available educational resources, open source technology, and the Internet culture together to educate all those deprived everywhere in the world, tuition-free. It will be incredible when governments and nonprofits follow suit.

A million voices encouraging global change; a million individuals clamoring for education. It's only the beginning of the dam breaking to widen educational access for the world.

My Vision: Peace in Palestine and Beyond

2012-03-19T12:20:00-04:00

"Peace is the respect for the rights of others." -- Benito Juarez (1806-1872)

Peace. I find it troubling that this word has become cliché in much of the world. For the millions of individuals who are living through war and genocide at this very moment, peace is a real concept -- albeit one that is too distant.

I believe that peace fundamentally stems from education. Educated people are more likely to have been exposed to diversity, to new ideas and to different 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. The goal, therefore, should be to educate as many people as possible, particularly in regions of protracted conflict, such as in the Middle East. Additionally, education provides tools to achieve economic stability, and when individuals are given these tools, they turn to help others, creating a ripple effect. First, it's a better community, then a better town, region, country and, finally, world.

This belief is at the crux of University of the People (UoPeople), which I founded in 2009. The University both provides marginalized individuals with access to higher education, while also employing people in economically challenged regions for administrative needs. Most recently, UoPeople decided to bring its IT development to Ramallah, Palestine via a partnership with ASAL Technologies. Palestine is a region that has been through an enormous amount in the last century, and it is the acknowledgment of the economic situation in Palestine that contributed in large part to the reason UoPeople chose to partner with ASAL Technologies for its technology needs -- providing needed jobs in a region hard pressed for them. UoPeople is also currently considering opening an entire back office in Palestine as well to provide additional jobs. In doing so, UoPeople is not only educating individuals in Palestine, but also employing them -- hopefully adding some stability to a region ridden with conflict and uncertainty.

Education and employment, particularly in a global organization like UoPeople, expose people to diversity, new ideas and different ways of thinking. The impact on tolerance cannot be overstated. While conflict boils over in many regions of the world, these so-called 'enemies' share a virtual classroom at UoPeople -- Israelis and Palestinians, Shiite and Sunni Muslims. They are learning academics -- and tolerance -- together.

I firmly believe we can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals through education and economic opportunity -- and every corporation and nonprofit should make these considerations when outsourcing human resources. Of particular note is the consideration that every individual has an effect on his or her surroundings and community. It is by changing the situation in regions of conflict, such as Palestine, via jobs and education, that eventually -- individual by individual, region by region -- we can turn the world into a better place for future generations.

The Tragedy of Those Shut Out of Higher Education: It Needn't be Anymore

2012-01-16T10:11:53-05:00

The recent tragedy of the stampeding death of a prospective student's mother and the mile-long line for individuals looking for last-chance spots at South Africa's public universities serves to highlight the importance of opening access to higher education. According to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is a basic fundamental human right to access higher education based on merit. Everyone deserves the chance to pursue educational opportunity if they are motivated and interested in attaining it. There is no reason for such tragedies occurring as seen in South Africa -- as the solution already exists to educate the masses denied their right to education, and it can be found in online education.

Online education can be provided at significantly less expense than traditional education and utilizing it can mean the difference for millions of individuals to successfully attain education or remain shut out of education, as is the status quo. Some people may still be prejudiced against on line universities and feel that online education is not of good enough quality. Yet, according to the U.S. Department of Education's 2010 Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning, students who study online perform even modestly "better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." Additionally, the millions of students studying online at US universities nowadays serve the best evidence of its viability. Indeed, online education provides quality education, and definitively can be used to solve many issues facing young adults in the attainment of higher education. The viable solution to conquering inequalities in educational attainment is available at everyone's fingertips.

Today's amalgamation of dropping technology costs and Open Educational Resources have allowed quality educational delivery to cost a fraction of traditional brick and mortar institutions. Adding in the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and the full use of Open Educational Resources, cumulates in a tuition-free quality education for all. University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) -- the tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education globally, which I founded -- employs an online solution for the masses. UoPeople was specifically designed to provide access to collegiate studies for individuals, despite any financial, geographic or societal constraints they may face. The over 90% satisfaction rate among students, more than 550,000 Facebook fans, and the encouragement and active participation of top academics around the world highlight the global support for University of the People. Furthermore, partnerships with Yale University for research, New York University for accepting students and Hewlett-Packard for internships demonstrate growing acceptability in the academic and business spheres for the initiative to democratize higher education.

However, University of the People is not only servicing all those currently constrained from attaining higher education, but possibly even more important, it is building a model for governments and universities worldwide to emulate in order to educate even greater numbers of individuals in need. South Africa take heed -- young adults in need of education can be serviced with the delivery of quality education at low-cost. There is no need for the tragic stampeding death of a prospective student's mother while desperately trying to get last remaining spots at public universities. There is no need for mile-long lines for placement at all, or the estimated more than 180,000 left out of higher education in South Africa this year to remain shut out. There is a solution that is replicable and scalable.

How Much Does it Cost to Educate All Those Currently Priced Out of Education?

2011-12-06T07:58:53-05:00

Realistically, it will only take a drop in the bucket in relation to the billions floating within the higher education industry. To exemplify how insignificant the support needed to reach individuals currently priced out of education is, take the recently launched $6 billion fundraising campaign at the University of Southern California and divide by 1000; the average $300 million university endowment in the U.S. and divide by 50; or the interest Harvard earned every 10 hours last year. Either way, the solution is $6 million: a tiny price in the world of higher education but a number that has the capacity to educate the world over.

With $6 million, a non-profit, tuition-free online academic institution such as my University of the People can reach sustainability and then scale out - creating the capacity to educate an infinite number of individuals. At the core however, is the knowledge that upon reaching sustainability, the higher education industry can look sincerely at this model, leading to parts of its model being replicated by universities and governments to bring down the global cost of higher education. Adoptable parts, right now, include the use of open source technology, open educational resources, peer-to-peer learning and volunteers. Each one of these resources are powerful in themselves, but taken together, provide an efficient and economical way to deliver quality education to significant numbers of individuals.

Education has been well documented as not only a path to employment, but also a path capable of positively impacting individual health, lifetime income, and other quality-of-life measures. Improved economic stability, social awareness, and reduced crime rates are all linked to access to education. Thus it should be in everyone's best interest to safeguard the existence of adequate educational access across a myriad of options and ensure completely equal access for all.

With millions around the world priced out of education, and the gap able to be filled with $6 million, it seems counterintuitive to pump billions in philanthropic giving towards anything else. Leaders from Oxford, Harvard and Columbia University stand behind this model. The UN-GAID, Yale University, New York University, Hewlett-Packard and the Clinton Global Initiative have established partnerships with it. Over 1200 students from more than 120 countries have been accepted. More than 2,000 volunteers registered.

Fighting the gap in educational attainment is possible with a mere $6 million. And it starts with your help.

How Open Educational Resources are Changing Higher Education

2011-08-15T04:43:34-04:00

With all the talk about the cost of higher education, there is an underlying current bringing about a radical change in education. This quiet, yet revolutionary force, is both directly and indirectly changing the bottom line in the price of attaining education. Behind the curtains in higher education are Open Educational Resources.

"Open Educational Resources are teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use or re-purposing by others." (Hewlett Foundation)

Recently, well-known author Anya Kamenetz covered Open Educational Resources and various pioneer learning start-ups in her free book The Edupunks Guide to a DIY Education. It is over 100 pages long full of online free or highly affordable knowledge resources. The OER movement is not only growing: it is exploding.

What perhaps is overlooked in daily conversations is that the most important aspect about OER is that it enables the best quality knowledge material to travel free of charge to the most remote and underserved places in the world. Education is no longer only for the elite privileged few; or for those saddled with a lifelong debt burden to achieve it. Education is now for everyone and anyone driven, motivated, inspired and ready to seek it out online. Money is no longer a prerequisite to a quality education -- only a computer and an internet connection remain.

We are part of a new era. From free learning sources such as MIT OpenCourseWare, to fully formed tuition-free degree programs such as those offered by University of the People, the phrase "burdensome tuition" is becoming a phrase of the past. Worldwide disparities in educational access based on economic situation or geographic restriction are being leveled out.

Think what a world we are becoming -- a world where money is not required in order for individual and collective intelligence to be expressed and compounded. Removing money from the equation, we will see in a very short time what universal affordable education will achieve in changing, brightening and modifying the world we live in.

Growing Rejection of Underrepresentation in Higher Education Institutions: NYU's Bold Move for Low-Income Students

2011-06-22T12:02:31-04:00

Finding talented disadvantaged youth from around the world can be a hard feat to accomplish for New York University, and other elite institutions, largely because of the situation most disadvantaged youth find themselves in. If you are living in a tent in Haiti, or in post-genocide Rwanda, you are trying to survive, and looking to education as the ticket to the future is difficult when your stomach is hungry and basic sanitation is an issue you face every day. And you know deep inside that the financial difficulties to attend are not just difficulties, but actual walls -- even if you get in, how will you afford tuition? Who will give you a loan? How will you find out who can give you grants to attend? Distractions are plentiful and roadblocks seem endless when you live in extreme poverty, lacking basic necessities such as running water that we in the western world take for granted. No matter how bright an individual is, obtaining a ticket to a decent job and worldwide exposure via education is a bleak prospect for the millions living in such conditions around the world -- until now.

New York University recently announced (as reported in The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Huffington Post) a collaborative relationship with the tuition-free, non-profit, University of the People (UoPeople) -- and in doing so, publicly verified their belief, shared by UoPeople, that being poor doesn't negate someone's talent and motivation. For many students, UoPeople is the only opportunity they have to begin higher education -- lacking resources and facing economic hardship, there is no other place they can turn to. After the initial gate of affordability is opened by UoPeople's tuition-free programs, each student can carve a new future and demonstrate individual talent. The agreement between the two universities is to identify bright UoPeople students eligible for transfer to NYU Abu Dhabi. In keeping with affordability, the agreement also addresses NYU Abu Dhabi's generous scholarships to be provided to the students chosen, so that those who do continue onto NYU Abu Dhabi can actually afford to do so.

New York University made a bold move with this announcement, which serves to endorse the growing rejection of under-representation that we are seeing increasingly addressed in media coverage on education. Diversity of nationality, religion, gender and economic background slowly, but surely, will become more common in institutions of higher learning, as the benefits that come from a diverse student body, becomes more clear. NYU is a pioneer in its efforts to aggressively recruit low-income, globally disadvantaged youth. Possibly, and hopefully, this will serve as a model for other institutions.

For disadvantaged youth worldwide, the agreement between NYU and UoPeople shows that opportunity is available to them and that their effort and motivation hold the ability to lead them to one of the world's best universities.

Peter Thiel May Have Missed the Point of the Higher Education Bubble: We Should Encourage Decreased Costs, Not College Drop Outs

2011-05-02T12:21:13-04:00

When Peter Thiel, co-founder of Paypal, told Techcrunch that the next bubble is higher education because "a true bubble is when something is overvalued and intensely believed," he caused a stir of reactions. The argument about education being overvalued stems from the belief that paying enormous tuition rates at any cost (including high loans) leads graduates to an unhealthy sense of entitlement -- one that is not justified by the actual opportunities one gets from a high-priced college education. He further stirred up circles within higher education when he announced the "20 Under 20 Program" in which he will pick twenty students and pay them to drop out of college and start a business -- believing this will show the possibility of another path than that of education followed by debt, experienced by many.

On the one hand, he is absolutely right when it comes to the cost of higher education -- it is a cost that many can't afford. Simply put, the cost of higher education, especially in the United States, is extremely expensive today. Nplusonemag.com asserts: "Since 1978, the price of tuition at U.S. colleges has increased over 900 percent, 650 points above inflation. To put that number in perspective, housing prices, the bubble that nearly burst the U.S. economy, then the global one, increased only fifty points above the Consumer Price Index during those years." Smart Money laid out the increasing cost of education in an article in its college planning section, where it claimed that "over 10 years ended [in] 2005, increases in tuition and fees outpaced inflation by 36% at private colleges and 51% at public ones." So, yes, higher education at such a heavy cost can become more of a lifelong burden than a road to opportunity.

Yet on the other hand, Peter Thiel is missing the point and throwing the 'baby out with the bath water' by encouraging college drop outs. Higher education includes benefits that go beyond the financial opportunities it may provide down the road -- such as individual benefits attained in relation to self improvement, friendships, empowerment, global awareness, access to diversity, exposure to different ways of thinking or topics of interest and more. Additionally, education is crucial to efforts to promote equality and world peace as it not only impacts the lives of individuals but also the societies and communities in which they live. Crime rates, social awareness and economic stability are directly tied to the accessibility of post-secondary education. Taking into account the additional benefits of higher education on both individual levels and also global levels, one can conclude that Peter Thiel should not encourage drop outs, but instead to challenge the cost of higher education to decrease.

It is both apparent and proven today that the cost of higher education can be reduced with the incorporation of online courses which utilize open educational resources and open-source technology. For example, University of the People's pedagogical model draws on the principles of e-learning and social networking, coupled with open-source technology and open educational resources -- the amalgamation of which allow it to offer a tuition-free model that students can afford. Perhaps this solution may not be the best for everyone, yet the benefits of online education (such as tuition-free) may provide a swift answer. Even if students only use online education for one to two years of an undergraduate degree, and then switch to a traditional university, they have saved a good amount of the cost -- costs that for many students would mean heavy loans. If online education is not perfect, which it is not, it is clearly better than the alternative where students without financial means either are not be able to pay off their extensive non-forgivable loans after graduation, or as Peter Thiel suggests, drop out of school midway (many that do would unfortunately and probably do so with loans), or not go to college to begin with because they can't afford it.

There is a higher education bubble in the United States currently as Peter Thiel pointed out. However, the best solution may be to re-evaluate the expenses of delivering education, rather than to encourage young minds to turn away from education entirely.

Distance Learning for Developing Countries

2011-04-26T12:09:17-04:00

There are millions of people around the world, right now, who wish to access higher education but cannot. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa, only 6% of all eligible students are able to access higher education (UNESCO). Online learning is one way of distance learning that presents an extraordinary opportunity to help address disparities in access across developing countries. It allows anyone, anywhere in the world, to study without requiring governments or private parties to expend heavy investments required in establishing and expanding traditional universities. Online learning allows for a more equitable and accessible higher education system whereby rural students can complete their studies without leaving their communities and students working to support their family can take advantage of a flexible study schedule.

Yet, the use of Internet technology in education within developing countries can be challenging. In places with minimal infrastructure the application of this solution is not always straightforward. There are problems to consider such as the fact that many in developing countries do not have computers or individual Internet access, and if they do, it is usually not with broadband Internet. Broadband in developing countries is expensive relative to annual salaries. Many students study in Internet cafes, a good number of which do not have broadband Internet.

Fortunately, the challenges of broadband restrictions and study in Internet cafes instead of personal computers can be overcome. Quality education can be achieved with technology and delivery modes that do not need broadband and are sensitive to public cafe studying. Using open technology such as Moodle, open educational resources that are not necessarily audio or video, peer to peer learning, and asynchronous study for anytime, anywhere learning students are enabled access to quality learning inside Internet cafes and places without broadband.

As governments and private parties alike invest more in the provision of Internet access and broadband availability in developing countries, and private computer ownership becomes more established, advanced technology can be added to the learning experience; however we are a long way from this point. At present, disparities in higher educational access can be addressed with attention to the manner and material delivered. Sophisticated technology is not required. Indeed, there are solutions available, right now, for those long denied the right to access higher education.