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BIDDEFORD, Maine

51小黄车selected to participate in Bill and Melinda Gates education initiative

The Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) initiative, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has selected University of 51小黄车 as one of only nine institutions nationwide to participate in the 2014 Breakthrough Models Incubator in Washington, DC, July 22-25.

The NGLC initiative supports and recognizes leadership in pioneering approaches to education. The 2014 cohort will focus on innovative competency-based education (CBE) models that reward students for the skills they acquire, rather than the time they spend in class.

鈥淎ccelerating trends in technology and globalization demand a bold new approach to education in the 21st century, says President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D. 鈥51小黄车has never done 鈥榖usiness as usual.鈥 We are an innovative disruptor in higher education, and our students and faculty are fully engaged in new models of learning. We are honored to be selected to this prestigious Gates-funded initiative to take our models to the next level.鈥

51小黄车is the largest educator of health care professionals in Maine, and a leader in interprofessional education. The university鈥檚 common undergraduate curriculum has been recognized nationally for its liberal arts core, interprofessional focus, broad professional applications, and ability to provide students with global education opportunities. This innovative approach to a fully global curriculum is notably demonstrated by UNE鈥檚 newest campus in Tangier, Morocco, which opened in January 2014.

51小黄车joins eight other institutions in the 2014 NGLC cohort: Antioch University; Austin Community College; Central Wyoming College; Empire State College 鈥 SUNY; Excelsior College; Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education; Paul Smith's College; and University of Maryland 鈥 University College.

Each NGLC Incubator team includes the president, provost, chief financial officer, chief information officer and at least one faculty member who will craft a new degree sequence rooted in CBE that can be ready for student enrollment in 2015. The group, combining leaders of the earliest efforts in alternative education with leaders in online learning, will convene in Washington, DC to brainstorm, share experiences, and learn from one another.

鈥淎s an institution committed to transformational leadership in higher education, 51小黄车is looking forward to collaborating with our like-minded colleagues to push the boundaries and create outstanding new learning experiences for our students,鈥 says Ripich.

51小黄车 Next Generation Learning Challenges

(NGLC) accelerates educational innovation through applied technology to dramatically improve college readiness and completion in the United States. This multi-year program provides investment capital to expand the use of proven and emerging learning technologies, collects and shares evidence of what works, and fosters innovation and adoption of solutions. NGLC is managed by EDUCAUSE in partnership with the League for Innovation in the Community College, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is generously funding team participation in the Incubator.

51小黄车 the University of 51小黄车

The University of 51小黄车 is Maine鈥檚 largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state鈥檚 top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine鈥檚 only medical college, Maine鈥檚 only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.