Founding Partners recognize the crucial need for a reformed higher education in the age of AI. They have the commitment and the capital — financial, political, and social — to establish an entirely new institution from the ground up. Founding Partners understand that an effective higher education, one that imparts durable human skills and centers on systems thinking, is critical for both individual success and societal progress. They are committed to strict adherence to the principles of educational excellence underlying the Minerva approach.
While Founding Partners will come from all corners of society and all corners of the world, we are specifically seeking:
Government bodies seeking to set a new educational standard for more competitive professionals and leaders in their countries or regions
Philanthropists and investors who want to make a lasting impact by establishing the next generation of top universities in the world
Education organizations (K-12 networks, research institutions, etc.) looking to extend their offering by building best-in-class higher education offerings
Existing institutions that recognize the need for wholesale reform and are committed to elevating their standards and enhancing their profiles
Individual founders and entrepreneurs who recognize the opportunity to create sustainable enterprises for the benefit of future generations
Complete the
Founding Partner Application.
Submit the completed application to
applicants@minervasystem.com by November 4, 2026.
Following the initial round of interest, selected applicants will be asked to provide more detailed proposals.
Accepted proposals will then enter a contracting process, which will close by December 31, 2026.
Note: Minerva will begin accepting the next round of applications on January 1, 2027.
Minerva has advanced the only comprehensive institutional model that can be customized to any student population, any geography, and any program type. Its proven process enables the rapid design, development, and deployment of best-in-class educational experiences at any scale. The core academic model utilizes a coordinated approach to evidence-based instruction and assessment techniques to impart durable human competencies: skills that help ensure success in future studies, the workforce, and society at large. These measurable learning outcomes provide the conceptual and practical foundations for learning across disciplines and over lifetimes.
Every institution will have a distinctive character, based on defined objectives, program focus, and geographic context. A common mission — nurturing critical wisdom for the sake of the world — guiding principles, and standards of excellence will unify the Minerva University System. Shared systems, processes, infrastructure, and the Forum® learning and data platform enable system-wide efficiencies and economies-of-scale, without compromising institutional identity or autonomy.
Minerva began with a clear and audacious goal: to reform the global higher education system starting from first principles. Minerva University, the original prototype built by Minerva Project, was a revolutionary exemplar that has retained its position as the most innovative university in the world for five consecutive years.
Since then, Minerva has collaborated with over 30 higher education partners across twelve countries, reached more than 50,000 learners, trained over 1,000 faculty, and established programs on five continents to develop and design new programs, new colleges, and new institutions.
The Minerva University System is an expansion of this global reform movement. It enables the establishment of institutions around the world that deliver exceptional programming at the highest fidelity to empower future generations to thrive in the age of AI.
