Ben Nelson, founder of Minerva Project, on why now is the time to overhaul our higher education
Beaming in from San Francisco, next to join us on Heads & Tales is the bold and brilliant Ben Nelson, founder of Minerva Project and Minerva University. Amongst many other feathers in his cap, Ben is a devout education reformer and Silicon Valley superstar in a previous life. From scaling the iconic Snapfish into a global tech juggernaut to building what's been described as "one of the most selective and innovative universities in the world", Ben's mission is crystal clear: reform education before it's too late.
Minerva, founded by Ben in 2011, breaks the mould of what a traditional university looks like. He is scathing of the current state of higher education, saying it has become a "Kabuki theatre" of credentialism, and that they're teaching students to memorise, not to think. His episode is a rallying cry to those that believe in the need for education reform.
🎙️ Episode highlights
Ben shares his story: how a childhood love of opera, an economics degree from Wharton and a decade heading up Snapfish all led to founding Minerva with a mission to save education.
He discusses the "cram-pass-forget" culture in universities and why it's failing both students and society.
He reflects on the global adoption of Minerva's model and why working within the system, not burning it down, is the only viable way to reform.
Ben predicts a collapse in public trust in higher education and the existential risk to traditional institutions.
His rallying cry for educators: move beyond your classroom and champion systemic change.
Finally, Ben teases his next mission: reforming secondary education and killing the testing system as we know it...