ASU to Launch a Free Global Initiative and enroll 100 million students

[ReyMysterioso]

[quote pid='436891' dateline='1741582375']
So, at the end of the day, it costs $3500 for what had initially been positioned as 15 "free" credits designed to "democratize access to world-class management education". 

What an epic scam. 

"This initiative, spearheaded by Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, is designed to provide transformative learning opportunities to learners worldwide, particularly focusing on underrepresented and underserved communities. 

This visionary program was launched in January 2022 and offers online, global education from Thunderbird/ASU (world-class, accredited institutions) in 40 different languages to learners across the globe, at absolutely no cost to the learner."
[/quote]

$500 total to get graded + $2500 total for transcription = $3000 + $70 application fee.


I mean in their defense, you can learn everything in the program at absolutely no cost. They are providing free education. As usual, it's the credentialling that comes with strings attached.

[slammX]

[quote pid='436891' dateline='1741582375']
So, at the end of the day, it costs $3500 for what had initially been positioned as 15 "free" credits designed to "democratize access to world-class management education". 

What an epic scam. 

"This initiative, spearheaded by Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, is designed to provide transformative learning opportunities to learners worldwide, particularly focusing on underrepresented and underserved communities. 

This visionary program was launched in January 2022 and offers online, global education from Thunderbird/ASU (world-class, accredited institutions) in 40 different languages to learners across the globe, at absolutely no cost to the learner."

$500 total to get graded + $2500 total for transcription = $3000 + $70 application fee.


I mean in their defense, you can learn everything in the program at absolutely no cost. They are providing free education. As usual, it's the credentialling that comes with strings attached.
[/quote]

My issue is exactly that though. Its the credential that matters in the real world. Sure, they provided someone in Africa or the Middle East with an opportunity to learn where they otherwise may not have been afforded the opportunity, and kudos to them for that. But what use is a head full of knowledge if they are still unable to land the job they were hoping for. The free certificate is meaningless if it can't be validated. 

This would of course be of more benefit to someone who is already on a career track and is able to use these additional skills on the job to accelerate that, but arguably this was not their target demographic.

Their intentions may have been good, but its of little use in "underrepresented and underserved communities" that they had intended as their target demographic. They could have at least provided the credentials for free to people from those countries and communities. 

By the way, I am that someone from Africa, hence my issue with this whole thing.