> A spokesperson for Caltech, Shayna Chabner, said that the university viewed its online programs as “a way that we can bring value”
Sounds more like Caltech views its online programs as a way to exchange credibility for short-term profits
Basically cashing in on the institutions reputation and student's hunger to get the institution's stamp on their resumes.
Glad to see the pushback. eventually stupid money runs out.
The difference then is scope of instruction. I think high quality certification programs are quite valuable to the market and properly run ones but trusted institutions are a benefit for the institution and the marketplace.
Classic cry of the people who want to regulate and control everything.
Maybe if the certificate is worthless, the students will figure it out? Maybe by doing a little research before they invest their money and time.
I know that for a course to be eligible for government reimbursement under any program (job training, GI Bill, etc.) the government has to investigate it. So presumably the bad ones are either already ineligible, or someone's not doing their job.
If every tom dick and harry has a stanford cert in their resume, the value of the brand diminishes. so, you are from stanford, big deal, i got a certification too.
You were thinking of Hermes/Chanel instead of Coach. Even LV and Gucci aren't in the same league as these.
Also, all of these are part of what I call the "Franko-Italian Fashion Cartel".
Most of these classes would fall under the heading of "light entertainment for people with the money to afford it."
Take a look at this one:
https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/detail/20241_...
It doesn't claim that Anja Lee has anything to do with Stanford, except for teaching this class.
https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/detail/20241_...
You probably do learn something about photography from Mr. Feria for your $480.
I'm not sure what more people would expect, being hired to teach a class or classes is how a decent percentage of the people that how have anything to do with Stanford have to do with Stanford.
It appears to be a renewable resource.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s_a_sucker_born_every_...
but this is exactly what the students were after isnt it? The certification is a resume checkbox rather than an actual education.
Immediately on reading this I thought "ah yes, Hewlett-Packard's business model for the last few decades".
The part that stayed HP should have been renamed "HP Computing" or some BS corporate acronym ("HPC"??)