TED, Khan Academy and ETS have announced plans to establish the Khan TED Institute, a higher education initiative built around artificial intelligence, skills measurement and employer-defined competencies, as reported by Edtech Innovation Hub, with the announcement made at the TED2026 conference in Vancouver.

The programme replaces seat time with demonstrated competency, allowing students to progress at their own pace while completing defined skill benchmarks across three areas: academic foundations, applied AI, and communication and leadership.

Academic content spans mathematics, computer science, economics and writing, alongside practical AI tasks including building agents, developing applications and completing team-based projects.

The institute is being developed with direct input from corporate partners including Google, Microsoft, Accenture, Bain & Company, McKinsey & Company and Replit, which will contribute to both curriculum design and the definition of competency benchmarks, linking learning outcomes to employer expectations.

Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy and TED Vision Steward, said the initiative extends the organisation's core mission into higher education. "Khan Academy's mission has always been to make world-class education accessible to all," he said. "The Khan TED Institute is an extension of that vision to higher education, creating new paths that help more people find meaningful ways to contribute to the world around them."

Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS, said skills-based measurement sits at the heart of the model. "This collaboration helps open new pathways into the AI economy where skill-based measurement becomes the critical link between learning and livelihood," he said.

Logan McClure Davda, CEO of TED, said the institute reflects a broader shift in how education must respond to rapid change. "We now need new ways to help people engage with ideas, develop judgment, and apply what they learn," she said.

Explore the full details of the Khan TED Institute model in the original announcement.