Ken and I got to know each other during his time in a leadership role at 2U. Recently, Ken moved on to start Quallege, a company that he described to me as one that aims “to revolutionize international recruitment by partnering with top institutions to attract high-quality students.” I asked if Ken would answer my questions about his new venture and his time at 2U, and he graciously agreed.

Q: Tell us about Quallege. What are the services that you offer universities, and how does the company differ from other players in this space?

A: My vision for Quallege is to help develop, and in some cases diversify, the long-term international strategies of highly ranked universities and drive those strategies by measurable outcomes, not just short-term recruitment goals.

Our primary service is to help these top institutions expand their global reach by attracting high-quality international students. We achieve this by leveraging a proprietary technology platform that streamlines the recruitment process at scale and powers one of the most robust, vetted recruitment networks in the market.

Our approach will help universities de-risk entering new markets, providing them with the expertise and relationships needed to expand their global footprint efficiently and effectively.

Q: Help us understand the through line of your career. How did your work at 2U, where you spent almost 15 years, prepare you to start Quallege?

A: I’d describe my career path as anything but traditional. I majored in nursing, but I was always drawn to the business side of health care. That inherent curiosity eventually led me to 2U, where I spent nearly 15 years. It was an incredible journey where I was given a wide range of responsibilities, which ultimately prepared me to build and lead Quallege.

The through line, I would say, is a consistent focus on win-win partnerships and the belief that outcomes are the only metric that truly matters. Throughout my career, I learned how to build and nurture deep, strategic relationships with universities, always with the shared goal of creating successful, sustainable online programs. I saw firsthand that success wasn’t just about launching a program; it was about ensuring students got the outcomes they were promised and that partners were well informed at every step—including when circumstances were challenging. That ethos—that partnerships are only successful when both the university and the student succeed—is the foundation of Quallege. It’s what drives our commitment not just to recruitment, but also to the entire student journey and their ultimate career readiness.

Q: This seems like an interesting time for universities to be focusing on international recruitment. How should higher education leaders be thinking about serving global learners in 2025?

A: I think the reality for most higher education leaders today is that they are focused on enrollment, period. International recruitment is a crucial facet of that, and while geopolitical issues often dominate the headlines, the reality on the ground is far more complex than just visa delays or policy changes.

From my perspective, higher education leaders in 2025 need to be thinking about serving global learners with a sense of urgency and a renewed focus on value. Education is a key driver of social and economic mobility, and the U.S. remains a top destination for students globally. However, the “big four” destinations—the U.S., Canada, Australia and the U.K.—are all at risk of losing market share. Competition is fierce, and students are savvier than ever.

To win, universities must invest in a long-term strategy, and partnering with Quallege will help mitigate risk and capture market share in an efficient and scalable way.

Written by Joshua Kim for Inside Higher Ed. View the original article here.