AIME IMAGI-NATION {University}

With less than 5% of the population in some of the world's developing nations getting to go to university, millions locked out because of financial barriers, and millions more simply thinking they are not 'smart enough' because they didn't fit the 'rules' of a production-line-esque schooling system - the world needs to rethink how 'higher order thinking' is taught, valued, and accessed. We need to remove traditional barriers to higher education; shift the focus onto ideas - not scores; and ensure that every human can feel valued and play a part in changing the world through imagination and mentoring.

AIME's IMAGI-NATION {University} (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBpq-_8kQyE&t=2s&ab_channel=AIMEMentoring) is on a mission to change the world; our degrees are free, open to everyone with an internet connection, and laser-focused on creating a fairer world for all. With specialised degrees and pathways for school students, university students, school teachers, organisational executives, and everyday citizens, our {University} starts with a one-week intensive, before empowering students to explore and design their imagined future through ten months of tutoring, philosophising, practical implementation, and collaborative work. Our {University} is facilitated through monthly Zoom meetings, fortnightly tutorials, daily videos features, and endless engagement with a global network of invested changemakers.

Since launching this year, there have already been 430+ students from over 54 countries enrolled in the first AIME IMAGI-NATION {University} cohort. Within three years, AIME expects that 6000 students will graduate per annum, with their dedicated efforts to organisational change leading to the alleviating of educational inequity for over 1 million marginalised school children. Graduates of the {University} will in turn form part of the ongoing network of leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, and visionaries, lending their ever-growing experience and expertise back into the {University} ecosystem. The profound impact of this community is already positively affecting social, environmental, and commercial change.

Over the calendar year program students will work together in their small tutorial groups to complete their individual social change project. Each month students will log online to the IMAGI-NATION {University} platform to complete their monthly self-guided learning topic which provides them with the theoretical and practical content to assist them in their project. Following a group learning theory, students then undertake a small tutorial group session to reflect on the learning topic, discuss how it relates to their project, share updates of their individual projects and provide opportunities for cross-collaboration. IMAGI-NATION {University} has helped AIME scale our tried-and-tested model of mentoring, proven to alleviate educational inequity (see summary of AIME's impact here, including links to Harvard Business Case studies, and University of Wollongong led independent evaluation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fo5iUTGGQx3DYxkEV25jgKOg04QrL0i9/view?usp=sharing), from 6 countries to 54+ countries and that too very cost-effectively (even prior to {University}, AIME's cost-benefit ratio was 8.9x, generating over $1.17 billion net economic impact as per 2018 KPMG evaluation). It has also allowed us to remove financial barriers to accessing our model by making it free for all (previously, University and School partners paid a fee-for-service to AIME).