Insights
What We Built at 2U in 2025—and What Comes Next
A story from a student at Pepperdine University made its way around our team recently—one that captures so much about why our work at 2U matters. Mallery spent years as an actor but realized she was meant to be in a classroom, shaping futures instead. What made her pivot possible was access.
Through Pepperdine's online Master of Arts in Teaching program, one of the over 5,300 programs we power in partnership with the world’s leading universities and companies, she didn’t have to step away from her old life to build the life she wanted. She worked, trained in classrooms, cared for her family, and in a few days, she will complete her degree from a top institution.
Mallery's story matters because it reflects what millions of learners today are choosing: flexible pathways that fit and transform their lives and accelerate their careers. For the first time, more U.S. college students learn online than fully in person. What began as a necessity is now a preference. And it's permanent.
When I joined 2U at the start of this year, the question wasn’t whether we had the right ingredients to succeed in creating opportunities like this for more learners; it was what recipe we should use to ensure success, maximizing our strengths, executing with discipline, and building a sustainable path forward to be the best partner for growth and innovation. One year later, I’m proud of the real progress we’ve made.
We grew our impact:
- 99 million+ learners are now part of our global network
- 5,300+ programs are live on edX today
- 6 million+ people have completed and graduated programs across all of our offerings
- 82% retention and 70% graduation rates in degree programs; 90% completion in executive education
We built a strong team and stronger partnerships:
- Welcomed new partners, including Oxford University Faculty of Law, launched new programs, including IBM Microcredentials, and expanded partnerships with institutions, including Microsoft
- Assembled a new executive team and will soon welcome a new executive director for edX, signaling our continued commitment to and investment in edX as a key component of our long-term vision
- Held 150+ in-person partner meetings and shared 2U’s message at key industry conferences, including P3*EDU, HolonIQ, and ASU+GSV
- Connected with our team from Cape Town to Crystal City, VA, and met with our partners around the world
We invested in innovation that improves teaching, learning, and student support:
- 5 million+ learners engaged with our AI tools
- AI was the #1 search term on edX
- We plan to expand AI features across programs in 2026 to reduce barriers and personalize learning, including with intelligent voice agents, learning assistants, and technical support tools.
What's Next
If 2025 was about listening and driving strategic focus, 2026 will be about acceleration—with focus on what matters most.
Higher education is navigating real change. Fitch, Moody's, and S&P have all warned of a "deteriorating credit environment"—enrollment pressures, rising costs, and growing uncertainty. Add to that nearly half of faculty now teach online, but only 28% feel prepared to design effective online courses. Meanwhile, learners are expecting and choosing more flexible pathways. And employers and AI transformation are redefining skills.
In this environment, our priorities are clear:
- Partner impact. Working with great universities–and the companies that value their graduates–to deliver career-relevant education at scale, helping them innovate and grow without compromising quality.
- Learner experience. Strengthening support from discovery to completion, with educational offers that deliver real outcomes
- Responsible innovation. Leveraging AI to enhance—not replace—educators and expand access to flexible, personalized learning
This is exactly the moment 2U was built for: helping partners plan strategically, expand their reach, and deliver quality at scale when it matters most.
To our team: thank you for your resilience.
To our partners: thank you for your trust.
To our learners, like Mallery: thank you for reminding us why our work matters.
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