The University of the People: A Model for Global, Tuition-Free, Open Education

Abstract

This article describes a global, wholly online university that was founded to address the needs of these would-be students. The following describes the University of the People (UoPeople), its vision and purpose, and the basic unmet human right this model of international, tuition-free and open education seeks to address. Furthermore, we show how this model of higher education can be utilized by world renowned universities and elite schools with resources, such as New York University (NYU) and University of California (UC) Berkeley to source top talent from underserved communities of students. Through these fruitful partnerships, students who previously had no alternative for higher education before UoPeople opened the gates for them, may be able to further their academic pursuits by attending one of the best universities in the world.