Is Accreditation a Barrier to Innovation?

Mallory Dwinal-Palisch (Reach University), Jeff Buening (Outlier), Ben Nelson (Minerva Project | Minerva University), and Steven Taylor (Charles Koch Institute) explore Is Accreditation a Barrier to Innovation? At the 2021 ASU+GSV Summit.The motives and aspirations of today’s learners are distinct, so too are the innovative providers that are emerging to meet their needs. But new providers compete in a marketplace driven by protectionist policies and an outdated accreditation system. We can increase access to learner-centered pathways and programs by holding providers to account based on their ability to meet learners’ expected academic or labor market outcomes. This panel of innovators will share their experiences navigating the existing system and highlight opportunities to build trust through new pathways that better meet student needs.