Global university: the new pursuit of higher education, a role-model from Minerva School

From the neutral viewpoint of a drop-out student, this piece of writing is my very first public expression in the education field. This work is inspired by the value of Minerva School at KGI - my favorite school that I got the rejection, lol. One of my friends encouraged me to apply to this special school, which has no standardized test submission, no IELTS, no TOEFL, no SAT, no ACT, (lol, my budget can’t afford them) because my personality suited this special program in Minerva as well as my plan of studying social entrepreneurship and public policy, following him. Without serious considerations, I started my application form and have 4-week preparation for all the required materials. Had no experience of this process, especially in the Minerva portal, I was stuck while a flush of bad things came to me. Consequently, my performance was literally ehhh… 

After the submission, I searched for the Minerva information and bumped into one article about the vision and mission of Nelson in The Pennsylvania Gazette, (Readin', Writin', Revolution) and I was enlightened by the incredible idea of “an undergraduate curriculum that combines traditional rigor with the latest instructional technologies and a global immersion—while charging a much lower tuition (than top of the higher-education) (currently $10,000)” from Ben Nelson. Initially, I found that Minerva School differs from other top universities: reasonable cost alongside the high qualified online courses and campus around the world. It is such a new, and somewhat risky pedagogical model; however, observing the “monster” list of school advisory board from other top institution, I believe the success of this institution for not only the enthusiasm of Nelson’s team in building Minerva from scratch but also the distinguished and invaluable benefit to the student and society in a “global university.”

Instead of a study hall, a large library and in-person professors, Minerva students study in a 20-student online class led by a professor. I believe online learning in a small class size enhances the quality of teaching. Students are able to individualize the learning process based on their ability and absorbance: they “enroll class” at any place, review quickly by the recorded teaching video and receive their lecturers’ undivided attention, in other words, students and teacher can work one-on-one. Moreover, this unique teaching creates interactive participation during the class. The fewer students in a class, the more time for them to raise their own voice, share their crazy ideas, and describe their opinions; obviously, the educator has more space to debate, clarify their inquiries and encourage them to build something new; therefore, the class has more good feedback and become a close-knit community. Besides, it expels the cost of physical class setting; students just need a connected device to the internet and comfortable space. This kind of class takes full advantage of both online and traditional learning with the cost-effectiveness that improves the study experience of students. Minerva is providing one of the most optimal teaching methods in the educational world.

Moreover, a Minervan (Minerva’s student) experiences beyond the circle of academic life. Living in seven vibrant cities in the world help students immerse themselves in the various local cultures and environments that are an opportunity for them to live globally. Specifically, they can involve the real life of the typical natives, perceive his or her daily hardships and difficulties, and gain a profound understanding and strong connection to the local community. Based on them, they develop an ability to work with diverse groups of people from different backgrounds with an open mind and intellectual curiosity, and indirectly enrich their personal culture.

Significantly, the students develop the critical and reflective thinking of the current intricate problems in society. Locating in the local land, they learn what truly happens in these territories and the attitude and disputation of its citizens to these things rather than the make-up stories told by the social media. For example, Minervan can discern the dissension of the benefit in Britain society in the individual-level or the rise of populism and nationalism in Taiwan politics and the ideological conflict between two coasts of Taiwan Strait. These observations help students synthesize the differences of socio-economic factors among these regions and generate new methods of understanding the complex two-sided relationship between the local and the global. Based on them, students grasp the whole picture of social movement in the world and produce general forecasts of the major tendency in the medium term. Apparently, Minerva is thorough preparation of a global citizen in a complex world.

I believe global issues can only be addressed by international collaboration and the consolidation of local innovative solutions in each region. No unilateral endeavors tackle the climate changes or ocean pollution so that we should build an interactive platform for both the government and the non-governmental sector to exchange knowledge or suggestion; thus we express our readiness to reduce the consequences of global problems. Globalisation, which is the process of interaction and integration among nations, is providing an effective manner to reunite the people, companies, and governments worldwide to come up with our solution. However, we are witnessing the standstill of globalisation which has trickled down to snail-paced ‘slowbalisation’, with the emergence of populism and nationalism, especially in the United States. The fewer multilateral cooperation, the fewer chances for us to win this severe fight. We have to create the new forum or tool to make globalisation work for all including the “global university,” where the students regardless of nationality and social class bring their own ideas for the local problems to discuss in detail and broaden their experience of the real case in a field trip in the significant cities around the world. After graduation, these students have sufficient knowledge to resolve the problems in their hometown or the visited countries in the fight against global issues. If I get in Minerva, I will write a blog about creative projects and the policy impact on the environmental crisis in each visited country. Also, I want to research the development of social entrepreneurship and build a network of social entrepreneur for mentoring and investing. Through my blog, people can share their experiences, learn and support each other. There are numerous outstanding ideas and gifted change-makers needing financial aid to implement their ideas, especially the new technology invention.

Minerva exemplifies the model of “global university” in its mission and vision to re-conceptualize the definition of higher education. It is undeniable that its responsibility contains educating people, giving the opportunity of working to earn money and feed themselves. Furthermore, I hope it gains a new dimension to educational value: a threshold for all of us to explore the world and understand the power of empirical evidence for the solution to the emergent local - to - global problems.

Thank you for reading!