Statement from 2U, Inc. CEO on Expanded Partnership with Simmons University to Create an Online Undergraduate Experience for Fall 2020

LANHAM, Md., May 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Simmons University announced an expanded partnership with 2U, Inc (Nasdaq: TWOU), a global leader in education technology, to develop and deliver a fully online and reimagined undergraduate experience available for new and returning Simmons students this September. Working in close collaboration with Simmons faculty, 2U will redesign hundreds of courses from the existing Simmons catalog for online delivery with a blend of synchronous and asynchronous coursework, ensuring continued academic quality for all undergraduate students—whether they are able to return to campus this fall or continue classes remotely.

2U Co-Founder and CEO Christopher "Chip" Paucek released the following statement on the news:

"As a trusted partner for nearly a decade, 2U has helped Simmons bring high-quality online education to thousands of graduate students while strengthening the financial standing of the university. Together, Simmons and 2U have built six sustainable and successful online graduate degree programs in critical fields including nursing, social work, and public health. As part of Simmons' Covid-19 continuity plans and ongoing digital transformation strategy, 2U is proud to support the university's bold leadership in bringing an affordable, engaging, and academically rigorous online undergraduate option to students this fall semester and beyond."

Under the expanded partnership, 2U will provide Simmons with its industry-leading scalable technology and services to effectively manage undergraduate courses and ensure online classes run smoothly, a learning technology interface, 24/7 technical support for students and faculty, secure tools to protect university data, and faculty training on platform use and online teaching best practices. 

In a recent study by Gallup and 2U, graduates from 2U-powered online degree programs reported experiences that were just as good as—if not better than— students in on-campus programs. Since 2012, students pursuing Simmons' online graduate degrees have experienced the same consistently excellent pedagogy and learning outcomes in the online environment as their on-campus counterparts. For example, across both online and on-campus programs, the board pass rate for Simmons Family Nurse Practitioner students is 95.9%—over 10 points higher than the national average. 

Additional details on Simmons's online undergraduate announcement can be found in today's press release from Simmons University, in an open letter to the community from Simmons University President Helen G. Drinan, and at Simmons.edu.

About 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU) 
Eliminating the back row in higher education is not just a metaphor—it's our mission. For more than a decade, 2U, Inc., a global leader in education technology, has been a trusted partner and brand steward of great universities. We build, deliver, and support more than 400 digital and in-person educational offerings, including graduate degrees, professional certificates, Trilogy-powered boot camps, and GetSmarter short courses. Together with our partners, 2U has positively transformed the lives of more than 225,000 students and lifelong learners. To learn more, visit 2U.com. #NoBackRow

Contact:
Glenda Felden
[email protected] 

SOURCE 2U, Inc.

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