"MOOC 2.0" Offers Free, For-Credit Education On Demand; World Education University is the First and Only Free, Degree-Granting, Online College

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- World Education University (WEU), the world's first tuition-free, online, higher education institution, is excited to debut this year as the first MOOC 2.0; offering free, for-credit, on-demand education to learners worldwide. Want to start – or finish – a degree or certificate program or simply take one or more classes? WEU's competency-based, higher education courses allow online learners to ring in new learning opportunities from anywhere in the world.

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WEU is proud to launch as a "MOOC 2.0" offering Free Education On-Demand. Unlike other Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), WEU is not a surrogate hosting service with a la carte coursework from other schools without credit. WEU offers a diverse, in-house PhD faculty, boasts multiple departments and, most importantly, has the power to grant higher education degrees. Rather than traditional MOOCs that simultaneously deliver study materials to a massive student audience, WEU offers courses that will be delivered in an open enrollment format through supported, independent study with ongoing guidance from professors.

"WEU was inspired by a passionate, deeply held belief that education should be free," says WEU Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer, Scott Hines. "Our aim is to help level the education playing field on a global scale with the goal of increasing prosperity for traditionally underserved populations. We are thrilled to be opening our doors as the first and only MOOC 2.0 in existence, offering free, on-demand education that provides students the opportunity to begin acquiring degrees immediately."

Innovative Revenue Model
While free to students, WEU is run as a for-profit enterprise with a unique, stable financial model created from myriad business, industry, education, publishing and organizational partnerships. WEU's goal is to span the educational gap between traditional, high-cost university programs and today's job market by creating degrees and programs that are responsive to industry-defined job competencies and skill sets.

"Education should not just enlighten but empower students with real opportunities for a better life," adds Curtis Pickering, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO. "WEU is listening to what Fortune 500 companies say they need from today's employees, and we're dedicated to helping students master the 21^st century skills for job acquisition and success in the global workplace."

Education is the world's largest equalizer, and WEU's goal is to level that playing field.

A Matter of Degrees
Featuring more than 25 degree programs and over 225 courses, WEU also retains over 50 PhD/Subject Matter Expert professors focused on building an ever-expansive array of new course offerings. Students benefit from an in-house faculty that includes a university president and deans of the schools of health sciences, education, psychology, engineering and computer science, legal studies, arts and humanities, business, hospitality, retail and tourism management among others. Faculty members are established leaders and practitioners in both academia and the private sector, with tremendous expertise in STEM, differentiated learning, entrepreneurship, educational leadership, psychology and more.

For additional information about WEU or to sign up for classes, visit http://www.theweu.com.

About WEU
World Education University, the first and only MOOC that offers free, for credit education on demand represents a game-changing paradigm shift in the American and global education model by providing free education to all. Aiming to be a comprehensive education ecosystem with programs from "Pre-K to Gray," WEU first seeks to be an accredited provider of high-quality university degrees and credentials that are offered to anyone, anytime, anywhere; free of charge. 

WEU brings a fresh perspective to the education model, building content and programs around the needs of learners and the industries that will eventually hire them. We believe free university programs and degrees will have massive worldwide appeal, breaking down economic, geographic and cultural barriers for students domestically and internationally.

SOURCE World Education University