SAN DIEGO — The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) has named Western Governors University (WGU) as the recipient of its 2017 Institutional Service Award. The award, which recognizes institutions that have provided outstanding programs and services for adult learners, will be presented at the 2017 CAEL Conference Nov. 15-17 in San Diego.

“Since its founding, WGU has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring that every student has access to higher education by providing innovative learning solutions, like online learning and competency-based education, that encourage adults to complete a degree or credential on their terms,” said CAEL CEO and President, Pamela Tate. “WGU is an inspiration to us and to the entire higher education community.”

WGU President Scott Pulsipher will accept the award at the CAEL Awards luncheon on Nov. 16. WGU joins more than 30 other past Institutional Service Award honorees.

“WGU was created to expand access to high-quality educational opportunities for contemporary students, especially adult learners,” said WGU President Scott Pulsipher. “WGU’s competency-based model and student-focused experience offers an individualized, flexible pathway for adults to earn a highly regarded degree and advance their careers.”

Nonprofit and fully online, WGU offers more than 60 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU’s learning model, competency-based education, is ideal for busy adults, allowing them to study and learn on a schedule that fits their lives. Students work through course materials with consistent, one-on-one faculty support, advancing as soon as they demonstrate, through assessments, that they have mastered the subject matter. Because they are not tied to traditional semesters and course schedules, many students are able to accelerate and finish their degrees faster—the average time to a bachelor’s degree at WGU is less than three years.

For more information on CAEL’s conference, visit http://www.cael.org/conference.

Founded in 1974, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Chicago that assists adults with their educational endeavors, finding practical ways to help them earn college credit for learning acquired through life and work experiences toward the completion of a postsecondary degree. CAEL works with the public sector, private sector industries and higher education institutions to ensure that adult students receive the most efficient training and education to occupy a meaningful professional place in a 21st century economy. For more information, visit www.cael.org.