About C-BEN

C-BEN grew out of the idea that higher education should focus on true competency — what an individual knows and can do — rather than on proxies for knowledge and skills. We believed that by building a network committed to growing competency-based education, we could make postsecondary education more flexible, responsive, and valuable for learners and employers.

That was ten years ago – since then, the demand for skilled, agile workers has only grown. We’ve built a diverse network of colleges and universities, state systems, corporations and employers, policymakers, and changemakers who are committed to implementing CBE in education, training, and hiring. As the movement grows, C-BEN’s role is to accelerate progress while remaining grounded in quality, evidence-based approaches.

The world is changing fast, and C-BEN is driving transformation in systems to match, changing not just how we design learning but also how we define it. Our network is where passion, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence combine to create a better path forward – because we deserve an approach to learning that works for everyone.