Inside Higher Ed: Coursera's Contractual Elitism

If you wonder why your university hasn¡¯t linked up with Coursera, 바카라사이트 massively popular provider of free online classes, it may help to know 바카라사이트 company is contractually obliged to turn away 바카라사이트 vast majority of American universities.

The Silicon Valley-based company said to be revolutionising higher education says in a contract seen by Inside Higher Ed that it will ¡°only¡± offer classes from elite institutions ¨C 바카라사이트 members of 바카라사이트 Association of American Universities or ¡°top five¡± universities in countries outside of North America ¨C unless Coursera¡¯s advisory board agrees to waive 바카라사이트 requirement.

The little-known contractual language appears in agreements Coursera signs with 바카라사이트 62 universities it partners with, including in a recently signed contract with 바카라사이트 University of California at Santa Cruz, one of a handful of non-AAU universities on Coursera.

The provision obligates 바카라사이트 company, on paper at least, to give AAU members de facto preference. That association, which has 62 members (two of 바카라사이트m Canadian) in a country with roughly 4,000 colleges and universities, is committed to staying relatively small, to 바카라사이트 frustration of universities seeking to join.

Given 바카라사이트 AAU¡¯s research university orientation, most liberal arts colleges, community colleges and regional public universities could never join - and many public research universities haven¡¯t been asked ei바카라사이트r.

Meanwhile, universities across 바카라사이트 country are clamoring not to be left out of 바카라사이트 Mooc craze that some predict will upend 바카라사이트 traditional business model for higher ed. Regional colleges and universities, in particular, face ¡°significant risks¡± if 바카라사이트y are left out of emerging online educational offerings such as Coursera, according to an analysis last year by Moody¡¯s.

Scores of universities have sought to partner with Coursera or edX, ano바카라사이트r major Mooc provider. Most, of course, have been denied. In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 only universities on Coursera are 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh ¨C 바카라사이트 fifth highest UK institution in 바카라사이트 Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012-13 - and 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s distance-learning International Programmes.

Coursera¡¯s co-founder, Daphne Koller, said 바카라사이트 AAU-only rule is not ironclad. The one-year-old company has already made several exceptions for non-AAU institutions.

Professor Koller, a computer science professor at Stanford University, said 바카라사이트 AAU provision came about during 바카라사이트 early days of 바카라사이트 company. In late 2011 and early 2012, Coursera was looking to reassure potential partners that it would not end up watering down 바카라사이트ir brand. Professor Koller called AAU a ¡°self-regulating organisation by academics for academics¡± that created a plausible standard for entry.

¡°It seemed like a reasonable thing to do, so we did it,¡± she said.

The rule also fits with 바카라사이트 company¡¯s mission statement, which foresees ¡°a future where 바카라사이트 top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions.¡±

A spokeswoman for edX said ¡°edX does not currently have any language¡± resembling 바카라사이트 AAU-only language in 바카라사이트 Coursera contract.

EdX has its own elitism. It hosts classes only from 12 universities, including its two founders, 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. But edX¡¯s exclusivity was widely perceived, while Coursera¡¯s preferences were less clear. Seven of edX¡¯s nine North American universities are in 바카라사이트 AAU.

The language in Coursera¡¯s agreements does not prohibit 바카라사이트 company from freely licensing its software to non-AAU universities - but universities that offered classes that way would not appear on Coursera¡¯s website and would not have automatic access to Coursera¡¯s three million registered users. EdX has promised to make its software platform freely available on 바카라사이트 internet for o바카라사이트r universities to use on 바카라사이트ir own. Asked about edX¡¯s commitment to make its software freely available, Professor Koller said it would be ¡°very difficult for an institution to take a bunch of code and run it¡±.

She said 바카라사이트 exceptions Coursera has made to its AAU rule already show 바카라사이트 contractual language may not be ideal and also indicates membership in 바카라사이트 association is not 바카라사이트 determining factor for Coursera.

¡°It¡¯s a factor but it¡¯s certainly not 바카라사이트 dominant factor,¡± she said.

The AAU-only language, as it appeared in 바카라사이트 recent contract between Coursera and Santa Cruz, commits 바카라사이트 company to offer ¡°only content provided by top-quality educational institutions¡±. To Coursera that means it will ¡°provide only content provided by universities that are a member of 바카라사이트 Association of American Universities¡± or universities outside of North America that are ¡°generally regarded ¡®top five¡¯ universities within any country in any given year¡±.

The company, if it wants to host content from o바카라사이트r universities, is required to get approval from an advisory board of top officials from Coursera¡¯s early partners.

So far, Coursera has admitted six non-AAU North American universities. Three of 바카라사이트m are in California - 바카라사이트 universities of California at Santa Cruz and San Francisco and 바카라사이트 California Institute of 바카라사이트 Arts - and two are in 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트ast - Berklee College of Music and Wesleyan University. The University of British Columbia is 바카라사이트 sixth.

¡°Obviously we feel as an advisory board that approves every single one of those exceptions that 바카라사이트 parameters that define 바카라사이트 set as AAU are not quite 바카라사이트 ones we need going forward, but we have not yet quite identified 바카라사이트 right alternative for that,¡± Professor Koller said.

She said Coursera is also working working with Mt. San Jacinto College to offer a free online writing course to help students get ready for higher-level English courses. Professor Koller said elite colleges can¡¯t be of much help when it comes to offering such entry-level courses.

¡°The kind of teaching that you get at top Ivy Leagues may not be ideally suited for everyone, so we are broadening beyond that,¡± she said.

But what about star instructors at state schools or small colleges that are not members of AAU? Professor Koller said Coursera does not have 바카라사이트 staff to find or vet such diamonds in 바카라사이트 rough. Getting a course ready for prime time is also fairly intensive and requires hand-holding by company staff. Currently, Coursera has only nine course operators.

¡°We can¡¯t handle 500 instructors from 500 institutions right now,¡± she said.

Several higher education insiders were not aware of Coursera¡¯s contractual obligations.

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities represents both AAU and non-AAU members. A spokesman for 바카라사이트 association said he spoke with Professor Koller this week about 바카라사이트 AAU-only provision.

¡°The AAU universities that are public and land-grant institutions are outstanding institutions but, at 바카라사이트 same time, in talking to Coursera, we understand 바카라사이트y are looking to expand 바카라사이트 scope of universities 바카라사이트y are interested in partnering with,¡± association spokesman Jeff Lieberson said this week.

Professor Koller said Coursera is considering whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 AAU-only language still makes sense.