🧠 Adopting AI Initiatives + HolonIQ Back to School Summit

Good Morning 👋

Global technology companies and governments are investing in initiatives to build AI capabilities, preparing individuals for jobs across all sectors. This past week the US released an executive order dedicating nearly $100M to attract and develop AI talent. Similar to efforts by Google and Microsoft, Amazon committed $50M to help public sector organizations build capabilities in Generative AI technology, and Coursera introduced new AI courses offering credentials and certifications. Expect more large-scale public-private partnerships to drive global AI education and workforce development. Our latest research on AI shares findings from the 2024 survey, exploring the motivations for educational institutions to adopt AI, and the perceived benefits include learner outcomes alongside cost savings and the ability to generate content.

🍎 Register Now: Back to School Summit - NYC 10-11 Sept

Join an inspiring set of conversations, people, and content in the Higher Education & Workforce Track at the Back to School Summit in New York on September 10-11. The Summit brings together 500 influential leaders from Pre-K to Higher Education and Workforce, Philanthropic foundations, leading education companies and policymakers, major institutional investors, and technology leaders. Register here. Key topics covered in the Higher Education Track include:

🖥️ Digital Transformation & Online Learning - Hybrid & Online Learning: Building the Student Experience of the Future, Partnering for Digital Transformation, University Systems & Alliances Powering Change

🧠 AI & Advanced Technology - AI and Equity: Opening Opportunity or Solidifying Stratification? Generative AI in Higher Education; Human Intelligence Meets Artificial Intelligence; Technology Infrastructure for Tomorrow's Institutions

⚒️ New Credentials and Upskilling - Accelerating Apprenticeships; Meeting Demand for Green Skills in the Workforce; Degrees vs. Credentials: Beyond the All-or-Nothing Debate; Rethinking Education Finance: Who Pays for Upskilling?; Skills-Based Hiring: Hype or Opportunity?

🧑‍🎓 Student Experience & Success - Connection over Content: Engaging Learners for Better Outcomes; Tackling the Student Mental Health Epidemic

🔀 Future Higher Education Models - 5 Scenarios for Education in 2030; Strategic Shifts in Higher Education & Workforce Learning; Education in the Decade Ahead: Drivers, Risks & Opportunities

💪 Power Moves

🏭 Intel Launches Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program in US. Intel is piloting its first U.S. apprenticeship program for manufacturing facility technicians in Arizona, who will also receive college credit.

💻 Biden Administration commits $100M toward Prioritizing Safe and Responsible AI Development in Education. An Executive Order was issued to attract AI talent and develop AI technologies that uphold safety, security, democratic values, and human rights.

🤖 Tech Giants Unite for AI Safety Standards Google, Microsoft, Amazon, OpenAI, and other major tech companies have formed a new industry group to promote AI safety and security standards.

💰 Education Financing

🎓 Massachusetts Budget Deal Offers Free Community College and Public Transit. The Massachusetts state budget deal for 2025 includes provisions for free community college tuition and free regional public transportation for students.

💰 Biden Cancels More Student Debt Ahead of Election. US President Joe Biden announced that he is canceling the student loans of an additional 35,000 Americans—adding up to $1.2B USD.

📝 ACT Exam to Get Shorter and Cheaper. The ACT, a college admissions exam, will be shortened and made more affordable starting in 2025.

🌏 International Education

🎓 UK’s Labour Party Pledges to Maintain University Fees and Funding. The Labour Party stated that it has no intentions to increase university fees or funding and instead has plans to support the recruitment of international students to ensure the financial sustainability of universities.

🇫🇷 French institutions are exploring Indian expansion. The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry is actively looking for opportunities for French educational institutions to establish campuses in India.

💰 Deals of the Week

💰 Auxilo Finserve, providing education finance in India, is raising $33.4 million, led by LeapFrog Investments, to expand customer reach, enhance student funding, and support tech infrastructure.

💻 byteXL, an Indian provider of LMS systems for engineering colleges, raised $5.9M from a Series A funding round to expand its operations.

📚 Glorang, a Korean AI education technology company, has received an undisclosed investment from TBS Innovation Partners as it aims to expand into the Japanese market.

👩🏻‍🏫 Edwin Group, the UK’s largest provider of supply teachers, was acquired by Quad Partners, a private equity firm, highlighting the potential growth of solutions to address global teacher shortages.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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