New universities to launch within Minerva University System. Minerva Project has announced its creation of the Minerva University System, a global network of new institutions that will be built and operated on the educational model it has spent fifteen years testing, refining, and proving across more than 30 universities in a dozen countries. For the first time, a government, a philanthropist, or an institution will be able to establish a new university carrying the Minerva name, built on Minerva curriculum designs, faculty model, assessment framework, and Forum(R) learning platform. Member institutions will be structured much as a public university system is. "No country has ever been able to tell its people, 'We are building you a Harvard,'" said Ben Nelson, Founder and CEO of Minerva Project, who graduated from Wharton in 1997. "That is what we are offering. Not a franchise of an American university, and not a campus that exports a diluted version of traditional curriculum, but a Minerva University built for that country, that student population, or that interdisciplinary domain, based on the model that we have already proven to be effective." Minerva Project was founded in 2011 to reform higher education from first principles. Its first institution, Minerva University, opened in 2014 with 25 students, secured independent accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission in 2021, and has been named the world's most innovative university by the World University Rankings for Innovation for five consecutive years. Its graduates have achieved entrepreneurship rates 24-times higher than those of Stanford graduates, won multiple Rhodes, Fulbright, Schwarzman, and Knight-Hennessy scholarships, and gone on to top-tier graduate programmes and research appointments at universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Princeton. Since 2021, the model has been implemented at numerous partner institutions. Minerva has trained more than 1,000 instructors and reached over 50,000 learners at institutions. Partners range from the small to the very large, from the highly selective to the open-access, in the US, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. Now, Minerva is leveraging its expertise to build the Minerva University System. AI literacy modules and policy statements are not enough to ensure humans retain their agency and value in the face of artificial superintelligence. People need to be taught to think independently, analyse information for accuracy and address problems creatively, then generate their own conclusions to harness the promise of AI models and agents. "We've educated students from a hundred countries in multiple languages, but our impact is neither broad nor fast enough," Nelson said. "We need to accelerate the acquisition of what I call 'critical wisdom,' the ability to think critically and systematically, and be able to apply durable human skills to new challenges and contexts. If we cede our decision-making and creative problem-solving to AI, humans will become its subjects. "This announcement is both an invitation and a provocation to the higher education sector. The time for philosophising and experimenting is over. We need to reach hundreds of millions of students, not thousands. We have a tested solution, and we are bringing it to the world." The Minerva model integrates cognitive and behavioural science, problem- and project-based learning, and a defined set of measurable capabilities taught through fully active and applied learning methods. The new Minerva University System will issue a formal call for founders and is already in discussion with four groups, defining what is required to establish a member institution. They include: * Governments are building new workforce and leadership capacity to be globally competitive in the age of AI. * Philanthropists and benefactors who believe the world's next top universities will be founded in this century. * Owners of dormant or newly licensed institutions holding accreditation and looking for a model to accelerate the creation of best-in-class educational programs. * Established universities seeking to expand their portfolios, enhance their profiles, and offer innovative programs under the Minerva University banner. Founders will work with Minerva Project to define the institutional vision, domain orientation, student model, and location for each new university. All member institutions will operate on shared infrastructure, align with Minerva academic standards, and engage in ongoing innovation and improvement efforts. For additional insights, announcements and perspectives, visit the conversation on Business Education.

Minerva Project launches global university system to scale HE model. Minerva Project has announced plans to establish a global network of universities based on the educational model developed for its flagship Minerva University, with governments, philanthropists and existing institutions invited to establish new member universities. August 27 2026 The system will let new institutions to operate under the Minerva name and use its curriculum designs, faculty model, assessment framework and Forum learning platform. Photo: iStock. The San Francisco-based education company said the new Minerva University System will let new institutions operate under the Minerva name and use its curriculum designs, faculty model, assessment framework and Forum learning platform. The institutions will be structured similarly to members of a public university system, with each university designed around the needs of its country, student population or academic discipline. "No country has ever been able to tell its people, 'We are building you a Harvard,'" said Ben Nelson, founder and CEO of Minerva Project. "That is what we are offering. Not a franchise of an American university, and not a campus that exports a diluted version of traditional curriculum, but a Minerva University built for that country, that student population, or that interdisciplinary domain." Speaking exclusively to The PIE News, Nelson said that he anticipated interest for the project on a global scale. "Obviously, we are based in the United States - and we believe that there is enormous need in the United States for more models of higher education to demonstrate what's possible - but at the same time, we've seen demand for Minerva programs and Minerva institutions all over the world," he explained. He pointed out that Minerva has "a large number of engagements" in Latin America., as well as significant demand in East and Central Asia. Minerva Project was founded in 2011 with the aim of redesigning higher education "from first principles". Its first institution, Minerva University, opened in 2014 with 25 students and received independent accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission in 2021. Since 2021, the organisation has also worked with partner institutions to implement elements of its model. It said it has trained more than 1,000 instructors and reached more than 50,000 learners at institutions across the US, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. The model combines cognitive and behavioural science with problem- and project-based learning and a defined set of measurable capabilities, which are taught through active and applied learning methods. The PIE News has seen demand for Minerva programs and Minerva institutions all over the world [[Ben Nelson, Minerva Project]] Minerva said its expansion through a university system is partly driven by the need to equip students with skills that will remain valuable as artificial intelligence develops. "AІ literacy modules and policy statements are not enough to ensure humans retain their agency and value in the face of artificial superintelligence," the organisation said. Nelson said the system would seek to accelerate the development of what he calls "critical wisdom" - the ability to think critically and systematically and apply those skills to new challenges and contexts. "We need to reach hundreds of millions of students, not thousands," he said. "We have a tested solution, and we are bringing it to the world." Minerva is now preparing to issue a formal call for founders and said it is already in discussions with four groups interested in establishing member institutions. These include governments seeking to develop workforce and leadership capacity; philanthropists and benefactors looking to establish new universities; owners of dormant or newly licensed institutions with accreditation; and established universities looking to expand their portfolios and introduce new programs under the Minerva banner. Nelson told The PIE that some of these partnerships are already in the works. "We've been working on this concept for a number of months and have engaged in conversations with a number of prospective groups and even existing institutions that have said, 'Hey, could we launch an entire Minerva University?'" he said. Founders will work with Minerva Project to establish each institution's vision, academic focus, student model and location. Member universities will share infrastructure, follow Minerva's academic standards and participate in ongoing innovation and improvement, according to the organisation. Beth Kennedy is a journalist and editor with over 10 years' experience in specialist media. She completed her undergraduate degree in drama at the University of Exeter and has a master's in magazine journalism from Cardiff University. After a decade of reporting for primary healthcare professionals, Beth joined The PIE in 2024. Contact her at [email protected].