The University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) announced that it is partnering with Pearson to expand education access to an estimated 5,000 underserved students regionally and nationwide.
The collaboration will launch UTEP Connect, a suite of fully online baccalaureate, graduate and certificate programs, in the hopes of allowing individuals to obtain an education while continuing to work, Education News reported.
"UTEP is pleased to have an opportunity via this partnership with Pearson to extend our reach to current, prospective and former students whose employment and personal responsibilities may impede their pursuit of an on-campus degree or certification program," UTEP President Diana Natalicio said in a statement. "We look forward to working toward more efficient and effective strategies to streamline pathways for talented and motivated students to achieve their highest educational aspirations."
The new initiative will also provide adult learners who need to earn their degrees while working full-time with the opportunity to improve their lives through higher education. Pearson will provide comprehensive online learning services, including marketing and enrollment consulting, technical services to power online programs, customized digital content, online tutoring, and analytics to evaluate student performance and learning outcomes.
"Our partnership with UTEP underscores our effort to increase access to online education options that are as rigorous as on-ground degree programs," said David Daniels, Pearson's managing director of Higher Education Services. "UTEP is an outstanding example of a university that is investing in its community to reach underserved segments and get more students on the path to career success."
UTEP has an annual enrollment of more than 23,000 students and has proven success graduating Hispanic students. Washington Monthly has ranked the University #1 in providing social mobility three years in a row.
