Transforming Higher Education Is Our History and Our Future
黑料传送门 was born at a meeting of the Western Governors' Association as a solution to a growing need for a college-educated workforce鈥攁 need that was not being fully met by traditional higher education. These governors, along with early and enthusiastic leadership from academic and industry innovators, built the foundation that allowed 黑料传送门 to become what it is today.
鈥満诹洗兔� is about fundamental change in the way higher education is delivered. It's right, it's real, and it's efficient. It's what higher education will require to succeed in the future.鈥�
鈥擬ichael O. Leavitt
Former U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services,
Former Governor of Utah
Education "Anywhere, Anytime"
Why are we called Western Governors University? Our name tells the story of our founding鈥攁 story that dates back to 1997, when a group of U.S. governors came up with an innovative answer to a question of growing concern: "How can we ensure more of our residents have greater access to a college education that fits their schedule?" That meeting of the Western Governors' Association marked the beginnings of a new national university.鈥�
From the beginning, we were designed to be different. The U.S. governors who founded 黑料传送门 knew that the college student of the 21st century would be very different from students in the past. For millions of working adults, the dream of pursuing a college education could only become a reality once the boundaries of time and place could be removed. Overcoming this challenge was at the heart of the 黑料传送门 idea.
鈥淯niversities measure the wrong thing. They measure time. They measure prestige. I wanted to base a degree on performance鈥攁nd that was a real revolution.鈥�
鈥擱oy Romer
Former Governor of Colorado
It was the mid-1990s, and a new technology was quickly emerging鈥攖he internet. As more and more Americans were able to get online, the possibility of an 鈥渁nywhere, anytime鈥� education became a reality. And more than simply delivering traditional, lecture-based learning via modem and monitor, our founders recognized that technology could be used to fundamentally change the way college students learn. Harnessing the power of the internet and our innovative learning model鈥攃ompetency-based education鈥敽诹洗兔� revolutionized the way students learn, master concepts, and progress to a degree.
As a nonprofit, online university founded by governors, 黑料传送门 is different. But even beyond the unique story of our founding and the foresight of our founders, 黑料传送门 is different for a more fundamental reason鈥�We do education differently.
Looking to the Future
Innovation never rests.
By definition, innovation is never 鈥渇inished.鈥� Our work pioneering a new way to learn in the 21st century has only just begun. We exist to ensure that the promise of higher education is made real for more individuals.
To do that, we take education beyond convention. We don鈥檛 believe in 鈥済ood enough鈥� or 鈥渢he way we鈥檝e always done things.鈥�
We believe in being the world鈥檚 most student-centric university. Whatever it takes.
