2U Completes Acquisition of EdX, Announces New Programs

• By Rhea Kelly
• 11/30/21

The merger of 2U and edX announced in June is now complete. Combined, the companies now serve more than 230 partners and offer 3,500-plus online learning opportunities to more than 40 million learners, spanning free courses, executive education, boot camps, and undergraduate and graduate degree programs, according to a news announcement.

2U is the parent company, but is retaining edX as its online learning platform and primary brand for products and services, the company said.

"There is an urgent need across society to make learning affordable, accessible and equitable – for all learners, at every stage of life. Meeting that mission made edX a global brand and a top destination for learners everywhere," explained Christopher Paucek, 2U co-founder and CEO, in a statement. "That's the mission we now advance together, helping higher education institutions and employers build a sustainable future, offering the continuum of high-quality learning experiences people need to enhance their lives and careers, and making all of it possible on one of the world's most comprehensive free-to-degree online learning platforms."

A number of edX leaders will join 2U, including edX Founder and CEO Anant Agarwal, who will become chief open education officer at 2U. Agarwal will also serve on a newly established Technical Oversight Committee for Open edX, which will guide the technical direction and vision for the open source platform and community.

2U also announced a number of new initiatives:

• The company is launching a multi-million-dollar marketing campaign to expand awareness of edX partner organizations;
• 2U and edX have pledged $1 million to support edX partners in developing 10 new free courses in "Essential Human Skills for the Digital Age";
• EdX partner Boston University is launching a new Master of Public Health degree that will utilize 2U's tech-enabled services;
• Partners Harvard, MIT, University of California, Berkeley, Google and IBM have all renewed their commitment to edX by launching new courses and programs on the platform;
• More than 25 2U partners, including Howard University, London School of Economics and Political Science, Morehouse College, Syracuse University, University of California, Davis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt University, are joining the edX Consortium, signifying a commitment to contributing affordable, high-quality learning content to edX.org; and
• 2U and edX are eliminating all membership and annual fees for edX Consortium members.

The 2U announcement also reiterated the company's commitment to:

• Operating edX as a public benefit company;
• Continuing to offer a free track to audit courses;
• Protecting the intellectual property rights of faculty and universities;
• Honoring participating colleges' and universities' standing agreements with edX;
• Protecting student privacy; and
• Contributing to the ongoing development of Open edX.