Educate Online and Excelsior College Announce New Partnership to Support Schools Committed to Full Competency-based Education Degree Programs
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 13, 2014 -- Educate Online and Excelsior College announced a new partnership at the CAEL International Conference today. The partnership brings together two innovators in Competency-based Education (CBE) who are at the forefront of reshaping higher education.
Educate Online has been delivering live, online competency-based instructional services to the K-20 market since 2002. The company has an industry-wide reputation for generating significant improvements in academic outcomes in an accelerated and personalized online model.
Excelsior College has the longest and most successful track record in the industry for delivering competency-based online degrees for working adults. The college is widely recognized for quality, innovation and flexibility in their career-focused programs.
Together Educate Online and Excelsior College are combining forces to deliver unparalleled expertise through Program Management Partnerships with post-secondary institutions. They are offering a comprehensive suite of services and technology to support institutions in the market research, design, development, launch, delivery and support of CBE degree programs. The Program Management Partnerships provide capital efficient, high quality and accelerated models for institutions seeking to drive enrollments with competitively differentiated CBE degree programs.
Just two years ago, only a small number of higher education institutions were offering or considering CBE. According to a recent Inside Higher Ed article (July 23, 2014), over the last 24 months “now more than 350 institutions currently offer or are seeking to create such degree tracks.” Many experts agree that CBE will continue to grow at a rapid rate.
“We are at a pivotal point in higher education. Institutions are increasingly moving towards Competency-based Education because it aligns to and meets employer needs in ways traditional programs are not able to. CBE programs can produce truly workplace ready graduates who are able to demonstrate mastery in competency areas that are critical to employers,” said Pamela Tate, President and CEO of the Council of Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).
“There is a great opportunity for institutions looking to provide CBE Programs. These programs are very attractive to a wide-variety of students, especially post-traditionals who are looking for more flexible paths to their degrees. Done right, CBE programs can boost enrollments, completion and placement rates,” said John Ebersole, President of Excelsior College. “At Excelsior College we are committed to growing and shaping Competency-based Education. We have found Educate Online to be a partner with deep roots in education and a shared mission for developing career-ready students. We look forward to working together to meet the CBE needs of higher education institutions across the country.”
“Students are increasingly seeking degree programs that will provide the skills they need to be successful in their careers, and post-secondary institutions are increasingly looking to build enrollments through differentiated degree programs that meet these students’ needs. The challenge institutions are facing, however, is how to respond quickly to the demand that is building for CBE degree programs. We are hearing from many institutions who lack expertise and resources to deliver CBE degrees,” said Carol Vallone, CEO of Educate Online. “Our partnership with Excelsior College will help colleges and universities quickly develop and launch CBE programs, with upfront investments to maximize capital efficiency. I can’t imagine a more qualified partner to work with to define and deliver next generation CBE learning models that will truly transform the education industry.”
Lisa Philpott, Educate Online, http://www.educate-online.com, +1 (978) 624-7003, [email protected]
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