Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative

Overview

In an era where global connectivity and digital transformation are redefining the landscape of education and business, the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative stands out as a pioneering effort to democratize access to world-class management education. This initiative, spearheaded by Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, is designed to provide transformative learning opportunities to learners worldwide, particularly focusing on underrepresented and underserved communities. 

This visionary program was launched in January 2022 and offers online, global education from Thunderbird/ASU (world-class, accredited institutions) in 40 different languages to learners across the globe, at absolutely no cost to the learner. Remarkably, this groundbreaking endeavor aims for 70% of the total learners to be women and young women, ensuring a significant impact on gender equality in education.

The Global Initiative aligns with Thunderbird’s mission to empower and influence global leaders and managers who harness the Fourth Industrial Revolution's potential to promote equitable and sustainable prosperity worldwide. By participating, learners gain access to unparalleled educational opportunities from two prestigious institutions at absolutely no cost.

The program is for everyone, and is designed to benefit individual learners as well as organizations and corporations, including their constituents, stakeholders, and employees.

The program offers three tailored pathways to accommodate learners at different education levels:

• Foundational Program: Accessible to learners of any educational background, providing essential skills and knowledge.
• Intermediate Program: Designed for those with high school or undergraduate education, offering more advanced content.
• Advanced Program: Aimed at graduate-level learners seeking specialized and in-depth expertise.

Take charge of your future and become part of a transformative movement with the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative.

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The Need

In today’s global economy, where technology is rapidly changing the job market, having a future-ready skill set is essential for personal and professional success. Unfortunately, many learners worldwide lack access to quality education and 21st-century skills—a gap that is widening. The demand for higher education is expected to skyrocket from 222 million in 2020 to over 470 million by 2035. Meeting this demand would require building eight universities serving 40,000 students every week for the next 15 years. Additionally, 90% of university students worldwide lack access to the resources and recognition of top-ranked institutions. The need for a new economy skill set among those at the economic base, including women entrepreneurs, is projected to exceed 2-3 billion people.