Michigan Virtual University

The Michigan Virtual University (MVU) was founded by the state of Michigan, US in 1998 as a private, non-profit institution. Its mission was (initially) to increase access to online postsecondary education and training opportunities for the Michigan workforce.

Like many state ‘virtual universities’ in the US, MVU was established to further flexible/lifelong learning and serve as a clearinghouse for online courses statewide. Certificates and degrees were awarded by the participating institutions directly. By 2004, however, financial realities had driven the organization to re-conceive itself as the parent organisation for the much more successful Michigan Virtual School (MVS), which targets the primary and secondary school (kindergarten through grade 12, or K-12) markets. MVU now dedicates its resources to serving the K-12 education market exclusively.

The MVU offices and Global Collaboration Center are located in Lansing, Michigan, US. Originally seeded with US$30 million over 5 years from the Michigan Strategic Fund, MVU now receives funding earmarked for furthering K-12 education opportunities. MVU also generates revenues through course fees, contract services and grants. Michigan Virtual School (MVS), or Michigan Virtual High School (MVHS), today provides US middle school and high school students with access to online courses and learning tools which their own schools districts might not otherwise be able to provide. MVS does not grant diplomas or award degrees.

As a higher education organisation, the Michigan Virtual University reportedly had over 5,000 students enrolled for the 1999-2000 academic year, with 24,000 students by 2001-2002. Most enrolments were in public community college certificate courses. As the OBHE points out in a 2004 article (see below), the enrolment rate suggests ‘that there was significant demand for online higher education learning in Michigan… [and that] the central factor was a loss of state funding.’ After MVU's initial start-up grant ran out in 2003, the Michigan government rejected MVU's proposal for additional funding. There were funds available for the K-12 sector, however, and so ‘the position of MVU changed accordingly’. From 2004 MVU jointly administered Michigan's 'Freedom to Learn' K-12 initiative (a US$68 million scheme over four years). With this shift in focus made official in 2004, MVU’s founding CEO resigned, and MVU saw a 50% downsizing of employees (from 60 to 30). Relationships with online university and college programmes, and other postsecondary activities, were terminated.

The Michigan Virtual University web site is at http://www.uname.edu

The Michigan Virtual School web site is at http://www.mivhs.com/

More details

MVU developed out of the Michigan Virtual Automotive College, a vocational entity targeting Michigan's extensive automotive industry's training needs.

Michigan was the first US state to require that students complete an online course or learning experience in order to complete secondary education(signed into law in April 2006).

In May 2006, MVU joined a partnership between Michigan State University and China Central Radio and TV University, the 'Confucius Institute at MSU' (CI-MSU). The partnership seeks to promote Chinese language and culture education in Michigan and beyond through innovative uses of technology. That year MVU launched the first online Chinese language course for high school students in the United States.

It is evident that today’s MVU enjoys close relationships with sponsor corporations, e.g. Microsoft and HP, who provide targeted grants and support for events.

Reports

OBHE subscribers can read a detailed piece about the 2004 repositioning of MVU as a K-12 provider at http://www.obhe.ac.uk/resources-new/htmldoc/322.html . In particular, it addresses whether MVU should be considered ‘another example of a failed online learning legacy of the dotcom bubble’, and draws comparisons to Scotland’s Scottish Knowledge/Interactive University venture(s).

Extensive information about the status and work of MVU as of January 2008 is available at http://www.mivu.org/upload_1/MiOnlinePrimer_web_RPT.pdf.

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