University of the People - African Leaders to “leapfrog the shackles of convention
University of the People (UoPeople.edu) President Shai Reshef is calling for African leaders to “leapfrog the shackles of convention” in his keynote address at eLearning Africa – a major education conference in Addis Ababa, co-organized by the African Union and co-hosted by the Government of Ethiopia.
In order to ensure that African economic growth is sustained by adequately trained young people, President Reshef is urging leaders to bring higher education over the internet to meet the massive demand from its burgeoning youth population. The numbers of potential students in Africa are vastly outpacing currently available facilities, and there is a critical need for smarter online resources to empower young people and provide the engine for continuing economic growth.
University of the People presents a genuine alternative for African high school graduates who luck out of securing limited seats in local universities. “There is no need for the thousands of qualified high school graduates who will be left out of higher education this year to remain shut out,” says President Reshef. “The right to a quality education mustn’t be a matter of one’s geographical or financial situation; Access to education must be an equal and basic right for all, rather than a privilege for the few.”
University of the People believes that access to higher education is a key ingredient in the promotion of financial stability, leading to global economic development and peace. Dedicated to democratizing higher education globally, University of the People employs an online solution for purportedly millions of students who are systematically shut out of higher education worldwide. The University has enrolled students from 150 different countries to date.
University of the People is changing the way online learning is perceived through international accreditation, alliances with prestigious educational institutions, such as Yale University for research and New York University (NYU) for accepting students, and partnerships with global corporations (such as Hewlett-Packard for internships and Microsoft for scholarships, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities). The unique focus at the online University is on small classes, peer interaction and personal attention. Online access need only be basic – broadband connections and video capability are not required.
The University offers degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science on a tuition-free basis. Students only pay for exam processing fees of $100, meaning that a student can study towards an accredited Bachelor’s Degree for as little as $4000.
Africa, take heed – young adults in need of education can be serviced with the delivery of quality education at low-cost. It is the viable solution to conquering inequalities in educational attainment and is available at everyone’s fingertips.
Find out more: UoPeople.edu
