The Innovative Digital Education Alliance (IDEA) is a consortium of reputable universities that offer online, flexible, affordable programs for a virtual community of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Each university brings a unique strength in faculty and curriculum to the multi-institution program. Learn about our member universities.
Students choose a home university where they apply, are admitted, register for courses, and receive their degree. Online courses are taught by the best faculty in each discipline from several universities. Learn about our academic programs. Students pay one common price per credit hour regardless of which university is their degree-granting institution.
IDEA's Beginnings
From its initiation in 1994, IDEA (formerly known as Great Plains IDEA and AG IDEA) has organized itself into a culture where administrative leadership is shared, policies are designed to facilitate academic innovation, faculty participants provide academic leadership, and both alliance and institutional interests govern decisions. In this alliance, agreement on principles precedes agreement on policies. Learn more about the history of the alliance.
IDEA's Core Principles
- Behave as equals
- Share leadership
- Respect and accommodate institutional differences
- Simplify student access
IDEA's Mission and Vision
Mission: The mission of IDEA is to serve learners by offering online, flexible, affordable instruction for a virtual community fo individuals from diverse backgrounds. Our alliance offers high-quality, academic programs that are greater in reach and significance than any single university could offer alone by sharing resources in efficient ways.
Vision: Our alliance will be a leader among online, global consortia, collaborating to enrich the higher education experience for learners and faculty, empowering them to change their lives and the lives of those around them.
IDEA's Culture of Collaboration
For decades, IDEA's unique consortia model has provided its member universities with opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Listen to faculty and administrators describe our culture of collaboration.
IDEA's New Name
The change in name from Great Plains IDEA and AG IDEA to IDEA elevates the alliance's advantages and helps it remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape. Our growth potential expands when prospective students, university partners, and search engines better understand our purpose through our name.
Updated in 2024, our new name can grow with us as we continue to expand to new universities, additional disciplines, and even new countries while still providing a link to our past.
Ready to learn more? Contact Executive Director Morgan Jones.
