A Pioneer in Free Online Higher Education – World Education University

World Education University is a poised to offer free accredited higher education.

Education is crucial to our proper development and the understanding and knowledge that education brings makes each of us a better human being.  It is also crucial for our professional prospects, allowing us to develop the necessary skills and abilities for the profession in question. In short, education is the key to improving one’s socio-economic position, and as such it is a right that should be available to everyone.

What is World Education University?

World Education University (WEU) is an online-based university that offers a range of academic courses for any student who wishes to learn and develop themselves. There are both undergraduate and graduate courses available, including Associate Degrees, Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, Graduate Certificates and Diplomas.

This is the first free online higher education institution in the world. Most of the time online courses do not come cheaply, but WEU’s founder Curtis Pickering has utilized digital advertising and other clever financing methods to eliminate all tuition fees. In return for no tuition fees, WEU asks its students to make good use of their education and use their education to do good in the world. WEU are not supported by the government. They are able to provide free courses through advertising and other revenue channels.

WEU operates an ongoing admissions process and applicants may enroll at any time they wish. Once enrolled, students can learn the course at their own pace and in their own time. WEU recommends that students commit at least 15-20 hours per week for their studies.

There are a range of courses offered by WEU offered by the following departments in the following subject areas:

• Arts & Humanities
• Education
• Engineering & Computer Science
• Health Sciences
• Hospitality, Tourism & Retail Management
• Legal Studies
• Psychology

The Mission of World Education University

Unfortunately there is much unfairness in education. Those who are lucky and privileged are automatically in a better position than those who aren’t, with the money and the mobility to acquire the best opportunities in life. Often, the people that need education the most and could benefit the most from high quality education are the ones that are provided with the least.

This global issue lies at the heart of WEU’s mission. They believe that the world should have access to education without paying for it -which is why all of their educational services are free – so that everyone has the chance to increase their skills and their knowledge and better themselves and their socio-economic situation. Economic barriers are preventing a huge portion of the global population from gaining access to the education they deserve, and WEU aims to address this problem with its free educational services.

Requirements, Standards and Routes of Entry

Two types of learning are available with WEU. “Enrichment learning” is offered purely for the benefit of learning, while Credit courses provide you with real course credits just like at any other university and provide you with degree level qualifications and other higher education qualifications.

To apply for an Enrichment course, there is only a short enrollment process and orientation course, after which you have free choice of any WEU Enrichment course. To apply for any Credit undergraduate course you must have an applicable high school diploma or equivalent, and for graduate courses you must be educated to degree level or have an equivalent qualification.

WEU welcomes anyone who has a desire to learn, regardless of the level of education, age, nationality, location or any other factor. WEU welcomes international applicants for undergraduate- and graduate-level courses, who have not been educated in the U.S.

Absolutely no tuition fees are charged to learners. Some fees do apply for extra online resources and the learner may pay for these extra features at their discretion. Costs may also apply for textbook resources, videos and interactive media. Some features may need to be purchased to successfully complete certain courses.

Accreditation

According their About page, “WEU is authorized to operate as a degree granting institution of higher education and is exempt from the California Private Post-Secondary Act of 2009. WEU is preparing the necessary materials to apply for accreditation. At this time no assurance can be given as to when, or if accreditation might be granted.” If WEU can achieve national recognized certification, it will be a huge step forward.

The Present and the Future

The World Education University is currently developing special GED preparatory classes to help students who do not have the GED certificate. This will allow students who have dropped out of high school to reach this important stage before applying for a Credit course.

Advanced technology is being developed especially for WEU’s online academic courses. This will ensure that all students will gain the best learning experience and collaborate with others through an online community of learners. Intelligent, personalized learning will enable students to learn the things that interest them the most, with the content shaped, adapted and improved by student feedback.

The internet is proving to be the most important tool in the fight against educational inequality. Up until now, the main problem with online higher education has been the cost. But now with the introduction of World Education University, the playing field has been leveled and the opportunity for higher learning is now truly available to anyone, as long as they have the entrance requirements and the drive to succeed in their higher learning.

Radical changes in education are predicted for the coming years.  We are going to see increasing access for more and more people, and virtual campuses utilizing the latest technologies for richer and more rewarding online learning experiences. We can also bet on reduced costs and fairer pricing, and thanks to institutions like WEU, completely free pricing for high-quality higher education courses.

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