GREEN BAY- Today, Governor Scott Walker, University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly and UW colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor Ray Cross announced a new competency-based degree model.

The new model will allow students to start classes anytime and earn credit for what they already know. Students will be able to demonstrate college-level competencies based on material they already learned in school, on the job or on their own.

"This new model for delivering higher education will help us close the skills gap at an affordable price to get Wisconsin working again," Governor Walker said. "As states across the country work to improve access and affordability in higher education, I am proud to support this exciting and innovative University of Wisconsin solution."

UW System President Kevin Reilly  said "We've set the stage for this in recent years with efforts to expand transfer policies, enabling students to more easily move college credits from one UW campus to another or from another school in the UW System."

Reilly tapped University of Wisconsin Colleges & Extension Chancellor Ray Cross to lead the project by working with other UW Chancellors to assemble a team of faculty members who are committed to developing new ways to assess learning outcomes in their respective academic disciplines.

"We know now which features and benefits many adult students want.  Our goal is to address these needs in new ways, but we can only achieve that goal by efficiently leveraging all the UW System's resources in a truly collaborative fashion.

UW System expects to make this program available online to students as soon as fall of this year.