Over two decades ago, a vision took root that would transform health education for millions worldwide. Today, the Ulrich & Ruth Frank Foundation for International Health (The Frank Foundation) reaches learners in every country and territory on Earth through its innovative programs and platforms.
A Foundation Built on Vision and Gratitude
The story begins in 1988, when Dr. Erica Frank, fresh from medical school, founded the organization and named it in honor of her parents, Ulrich and Ruth Frank, as a gesture of gratitude for the extraordinary education they had given her. As refugees from Hitler’s Germany, Ulrich Anton Frank became a prolific biomedical engineer, inventor, sculptor, and painter, while Ruth Esser Frank, Ed.D., dedicated her career to education as a professor. Their commitment to learning and innovation would become the bedrock of their daughter’s life’s work.
Dr. Frank’s inspiration for democratizing education crystallized after a 2001 Newsweek article about the potential of online learning and her own devastating encounters with poverty in places like Nepal. The stark reality that so many young people in Low- and Middle-Income Countries must set aside their academic dreams to contribute to family income galvanized her determination to create barrier-free access to education.
Seven years before Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) entered the educational lexicon, Dr. Frank launched NextGenU.org, the world’s first portal to free, higher education. Her vision was revolutionary: what if we could address the global shortage of healthcare workers by making high-quality education freely available to anyone, anywhere?
By 2020, the Foundation’s growth, which was accelerated by a pandemic-driven surge in NextGenU.org usage, necessitated a dedicated executive team. The Foundation welcomed Miriam Chickering, MBA, RN, BSN, NE-BC, as its new CEO. Chickering brought more than a decade of experience in building globally scaled education solutions in healthcare education, along with a proven track record in strategic partnerships, team building, and managing volunteer networks.
Today, the Frank Foundation operates an integrated ecosystem of educational programs, each addressing specific needs in global health and education:
NextGenU.org: The Flagship Platform
The foundation’s original platform, NextGenU.org, offers expertly created learning materials in medicine, nursing, public and global health, humanitarian response, and math and science. The platform partners with distinguished universities and organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Harvard, Stanford, and NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme. Students have demonstrated identical knowledge and competency gains compared to conventional learning models, often with greater satisfaction.
Public Health U (Formerly Peoples-Uni)
Acquired by the Foundation in 2020, Public Health U empowers learners worldwide through accessible public health training and supports them in pursuing formal degrees. The program facilitates the world’s first free Master’s Degree in Public Health curriculum, which has been adopted and contextualized by universities globally. Students can complete their MPH through partners at EUCLID University, with all training facilitated by dedicated volunteers.
Humanitarian U
Joining the Frank Foundation family in 2022, Humanitarian U addresses the critical need for standardized, evidence-based training for frontline responders. Over 550,000 Humanitarians have been trained through Humanitarian U, equipping them with essential skills to support relief efforts during disasters and crises. The program partners with leading organizations and institutions worldwide to ensure humanitarian workers have the knowledge and tools needed to save lives.
Global Health eLearning Center (GHLC)
The GHLC provides accessible, high-quality professional development in global health to strengthen the capacity of health professionals worldwide. The Global Health eLearning Center has awarded over 1,000,000 course certificates to allied health professionals and program staff, making it a cornerstone resource for continuing education in the global health community.
Addiction Training for Health Professionals Program (ATHP)
ATHP creates courses, curricula, and training programs for physicians and their teams to prevent and treat substance use disorders. With multiple classes directly addressing substance use and mental health, and substance use information integrated throughout all courses, the program has been shown to increase knowledge and decrease stigma around addiction issues. ATHP offers 21 approved continuing medical education courses, enabling physicians, nurses, social workers, and counselors to receive free training in addiction medicine and mental health.
STEPS: STEM Teacher and Student Education for Primary School
Initiated in 2021 with funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) through GPE-KIX, STEPS enhances STEM education in primary schools by empowering both teachers and students through accessible, high-quality training and resources. The program creates and tests localized STEM materials for primary school teachers and students across multiple countries and languages, currently providing materials to approximately 10,000 students in four school systems across three countries.
Nurses International Partnership
Through its partnership with Nurses International, founded by CEO Miriam Chickering in 2013, the Foundation strengthens nursing education both in the United States and globally. Nurses International provides nursing courses to educators and nursing students in 147 countries, offering sustainable, high-quality nursing education designed to help nurses obtain the resources and opportunities they need to improve healthcare worldwide.
Impact by the Numbers
The Frank Foundation’s reach is truly global:
- Learners registered from every country in the world
- Over 3,500 institutional partners
- More than 1 million course certificates awarded
- 650,000+ monthly learners worldwide
A Mission That Endures
At its core, the Frank Foundation remains committed to its founding mission: to democratize education globally and improve the health and well-being of humanity and the planet. This cost-free, barrier-free approach to education represents a fundamental belief that quality healthcare education should be accessible to everyone, everywhere.
As Dr. Jerome Kassirer, former Editor-in-Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, observed: “They have sustainably and permanently transformed education, with the opportunity to supply millions of well-trained physicians, nurses, public health workers, and other professionals to the world.”
Dr. Erica Wheeler of the World Health Organization added: “The WHO was not only the first to fund NextGenU.org’s free learning platform, but one of its first users. The WHO is proud to be a partner of the Master’s in Public Health, an extraordinary innovation that promotes global equity and diversity in health and education.”
Looking Forward
The Frank Foundation continues to expand its reach while maintaining its commitment to quality, accessibility, and innovation. The Foundation’s work represents more than just free courses; it represents hope for millions of aspiring healthcare workers and STEM professionals who might otherwise never have access to quality education. Every physician trained through NextGenU can provide care to thousands of patients over their career. Every nurse educated through the Foundation’s partnerships can strengthen their community’s health infrastructure. Every humanitarian trained can save lives in crisis situations.
From its founding in 1988 as a thank-you gift from a daughter to her parents, the Ulrich & Ruth Frank Foundation for International Health has grown into a global movement. It represents what can be achieved when vision meets dedication, when innovation serves equity, and when education becomes truly accessible to all.
To learn more about the Frank Foundation’s programs or to get involved as a learner, volunteer, or institutional partner, visit our websites or contact us at info@nextgenu.org.