Goldie Blumenstyk, writing for The Chronicle [paywalled] on her conversation with Cathie Smith, interim head of the nonprofit slated to inherit $800 million from the betrayal-cum-sale of edX to for-profit OPM provider 2U:
As [Smith] shared with me, the center has identified three broad areas of focus: digital technology, innovation and research, and expanding access to high-quality learning experiences. That doesn’t seem to narrow things down very much. […] She and the board are trying to get a handle on which organizations out there are already doing what, and, as she put it, “understanding where we add value.” That process involves talking with a range of organizations and individuals about “the challenges that perpetuate inequalities.”The center’s first online-learning projects could begin as soon as this winter. But I’m not expecting any proclamation of a grand, detailed 10-year strategy. Smith made clear that the center sees itself as “a learning organization” that could shift goals as new priorities surface.
That’s some impressive progress, two years since the sale. Meanwhile, Elsevier announced last week that its Osmosis health education platform is joining the “global edX partner network.” edX/2U will host Elsevier’s Professional Certificate program in Healthcare Foundations.
So the post-sale edX successor is talking to folks about “challenges that perpetuate inequalities.” Here’s something for that list: higher-ed privatization via Elsevier.