The American Council on Education (ACE) announced that Thomas Edison State University (TESU) will be among the pilot institutions in the ACE Prior Learning Network, powered by Credly.
Pilot members are focused on ensuring learners can connect with colleges and universities that guarantee acceptance of their credit for prior learning as well as building a foundation upon which they can expand the network to help even more learners achieve their academic and professional goals.
Network members will guarantee the acceptance of validated prior learning experiences from interested ACE participating organizations toward a postsecondary credential, relying on the expertise of ACE to assure the quality of learning delivered by those organizations.
ACE is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. As the coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: two-year and four-year, public and private.
“Thomas Edison is honored to be among the first cohort of higher education institutions participating in the ACE Prior Learning Network. At TESU, recognizing learning that occurs outside the classroom is the cornerstone of our mission to help adult learners. It aligns with our Vision Statement of ‘Building Careers, Advancing Professions and Empowering Lives’ by assisting students to apply their past experiences and accelerate their path to a degree,” said Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, president, Thomas Edison State University.
In addition to TESU, pilot institutions are National University, Southern New Hampshire University, State University of New York Empire State College, State University of New York Rockland Community College and University of Maryland Global Campus.
The ACE Prior Learning Network pilot has been funded by a generous grant from the ECMC Foundation. The ultimate goal is for the network to address the current challenges for the three stakeholders of learning evaluations: adult learners, higher education institutions, and employers and training providers. Learners will gain an unprecedented level of clarity and consistency as well as personalized access to possible degree pathways, while institutions will be able to access interested learners and data, and employers and training providers will add value to their training programs.
To learn more about earning credit from ACE, visit the TESU website.
Toni M. Terry, BA