Initiatives

UNO is leading the way in reimagining how education translates into employability through the power of artificial intelligence. This initiative leverages AI to analyze student transcripts and convert traditional academic records into dynamic, skill-based profiles (a skills wallet).

By identifying specific competencies, technical proficiencies, and real-world capabilities gained through coursework, research, and co-curricular experiences, UNO is bridging the gap between academic achievement and workforce readiness – making student talent more visible and accessible to employers.

In alignment with emerging Higher Learning Commission (HLC) guidelines, UNO is exploring the development of high-quality bachelor’s degrees requiring fewer than the traditional 120 credit hours.

This effort aims to increase affordability, accelerate time to degree completion, and enhance flexibility while maintaining academic rigor and learning outcomes.

We believe guide rails must be in place to provide this kind of bachelor’s degree to support suitable candidates and appropriate disciplines.

Through a strategic partnership with MCC, UNO is redesigning the transfer experience to create a seamless, omnidirectional pathway between institutions.

This initiative simplifies processes, policies, and academic structures to reduce barriers, increase credit mobility, and improve student completion outcomes.

The Workforce Partnerships Program connects employers and employees with flexible, accessible educational opportunities designed to strengthen workforce skills and support career growth.

This program enhances our employers in their retention efforts and expands UNO’s mission of educating people of the world.

Gray’s DI Dashboard equips campus leaders with real-time, data-informed insights into revenue performance across courses, sections, programs, and colleges.

This analytics tool enhances strategic decision-making, resource optimization, and long-term financial sustainability. Our goal is to bring financial perspective into academic decisions and hold ourselves accountable for our own performance.

Launched in 2025, MavEd represents a bold redesign of UNO’s general education curriculum. The reform increases relevance, coherence, and student choice by reducing required credit hours, expanding open electives, and creating a more integrated academic foundation aligned with workforce and lifelong learning competencies.

Reducing general education requirement from 47 credit hours to the current 31 credit hours facilitates transfer and supports a more flexible academic journey for all students.

Cooperative Education at UNO is a dynamic educational approach that integrates academic learning with meaningful paid work experiences related to a student’s major or career goals.  

The first pilot is launched with the leadership of Supply Chain and Logistics Management at the College of Business Administration.

UNO launched the Center for Competencies, Skills and Workforce Development to serve as an ecosystem of workforce development initiatives to meet today’s dynamic regional and national needs.

The Center coordinates industry partnerships, competency development, microcredentials, and experiential learning initiatives to meet evolving regional and national workforce demands. Through this center

Competency-Based Education (CBE) is an innovative learning model designed to provide students with a mastery-based approach to earning a degree.

UNO+CBE redefines education by offering accessible, competency-based learning pathways that empower students to earn valuable credentials at their own pace. UNO is currently seeking accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission on our first CBE certificate.

In 2024, UNO became the first and only university in Nebraska to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in A.I.

The program features a flexible curriculum that allows students to combine their A.I. expertise with interdisciplinary elective coursework from across campus, helping prepare the next generation of innovators in applied artificial intelligence.

In 2025, UNO introduced an in-person Master of Science degree in A.I.

This is a philanthropically-supported program designed to help new students transition from high school to the college environment.

While directly aligning with the NU Strategic Pillars, planning is underway for future proposals to serve all first-time, first-year students, making it a cornerstone of UNO’s student success infrastructure.

Microcredentials are short-form courses that equip learners with in demand skills to fill critical workforce gaps. UNO microcredentials are digitally badged and designed to fit your goals – on your schedule.  

Since 2023, UNO has launched nearly 40 microcredentials, with 13 of those focused on A.I. UNO is an active partner of HLC’s Credential Lab.

UNO Career Connect is a collaborative program pairing UNO with area companies and organizations to guarantee paid internship positions for many UNO students.

This mutually beneficial program provides Mavericks with a direct path from college to career experience while ensuring that area employers can hire the interns they need to support operations. 

UNO launched this program in May 2022. Since then, over 150 new employers have joined forces with UNO in providing paid internships.