In a world where access to information becomes easier every day, we imagine a postsecondary system of education in which learning transcends the physical boundaries of a campus, and is accessible to students and professionals alike. We see higher educational institutes as all inclusive places of learning that not only extend college credits for students to include learning activities outside of the classroom and campus, but also provide opportunities to professionals, entrepreneurs and organizations to use the institution’s learning space and resources. This will not only enable conventional students to learn from and work on problems and projects grounded in the real world, but also help working professionals evolve and adapt to the challenges presented by the ever transforming economic ecosystem.

There are multiple elements in this model. Students will be accredited for learning beyond the campus, by working on real world problems and projects, taking up MOOCs, or for civic engagement. A design student working as an intern with the design team for a product; an engineering student enrolling and successfully completing an online course on discrete mathematics; a psychology major working with a social startup, and helping them understand the needs of their potential users; can all be considered examples for this accreditation model.

Secondly, entrepreneurs and organizations should be allowed to use the university’s resources including the labs/workshops on campus. They should be able to use the tools and resources available for development, meanwhile offering opportunities to university students to engage and take part in real world research and development projects from different industries. Conventional university students will be much more likely to transition to employment since they’ll already be a part of the process during their education.

Other than using the campus as workspace, professionals will also be able to enroll for the courses offered at the university. Many organizations offer specific training sessions for professionals. These organizations will offer these training sessions at college campuses for anyone to attend. Because of this collaboration, each individual student will be able to get a more personalized curriculum that fits their needs and requirements. At one hand, professionals will be able to attend specific classes that aligns with their jobs and career growth, while students will be able to attend professional training sessions that large companies already offer/ take part in.