University of the People—which we covered last week—may be tuition-free, but plenty of other schools around the globe are profitable. Just launched earlier this year, Supercool School is an education platform that lets anyone create and monetize an online school of their very own.

For USD 15 per month, users of San Francisco-based Supercool School can create real-time classes and make them available to an unlimited number of students from all around the world. The white-label platform offers streaming audio and video as well as the ability to share documents and presentations over the web. Every live class is recorded and stored, enabling thousands of students to view them afterwards. School creators can offer their classes for free or charge for them as part of a global education business that's customizable, brandable and scalable. Professional accounts with unlimited access to Supercool School are now in invitation-only beta; in the meantime, a free version of the platform can be used to offer up to 15 classes per month.

More than 45,000 companies and 300,000 entrepreneurs post revenues of roughly $30 billion per year in the U.S. education and training services industry alone, says Supercool, which now enables more than 100 schools, 700 classes and 2,500 users. Time to start a little global education business of your own...? (Related: Peer-to-peer '(un)classes' match interest with passion.)

Website: www.supercoolschool.com
Contact: contact@supercoolschool.com

Spotted by: John Greene

The edupunk movement recently moved up a notch with the entrance of the world's first global tuition-free online university. University of the People (UoPeople) is a non-profit venture—supported by the United Nations—that embraces the worldwide reach of the internet and dropping technology costs to bring higher education to people who would not otherwise have access to it.

UoPeople founder Shai Reshef explains: "The idea is to reach the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who graduate high school, have all the ability and the right to study in an academic institution, but cannot do it either because they don't have the money or because there aren't enough institutions." Launched in September 2009 and now in its third term, UoPeople has received 3,000 applications and admitted 380 students from more than 70 countries, including Afghanistan, Thailand, Sudan and Zambia. At this stage, UoPeople students can pursue unaccredited studies in either business or computer science. The California-registered institution is in the process of applying for accreditation in the United States.

Employing a small group of paid staff, UoPeople's educational model has an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning with guidance from more than 800 volunteer scholars who participate as instructors. Relying on free learning materials from open courseware projects, the model includes classes, discussions, readings, assignments and exams.

Higher education may trade in ideas, but it runs on dollars. To help cover the school's operating expenses, students will soon be charged admission fees and test-processing fees, each costing USD 10 to 100 depending on the student's home country. UoPeople is seeking operational funding through grants, foundations and private donations. One to get involved in? (Related: Free Ivy League courses for high schoolers.)

Website: www.uopeople.org
Contact: info@uopeople.org

Spotted by: Gergana Stoeva

Similar to Hamburg's Language Lounge, which we covered back in 2008, Spanish restaurant chain Fresc Co now provides a way for customers to practice their English while they eat. But while Language Lounge charges a monthly fee for its lessons, Fresc Co's initiative is free.

Fresc Co operates some 40 restaurants in 11 Spanish cities, focusing on fresh ingredients and Mediterranean dishes. Starting last month, two of its Barcelona locations have teamed up with local instruction firm English Metas to help patrons improve their English skills while also doing a little networking. Targeting professional workers, English Metas' native speaking teachers focus primarily on everyday language and work situations in the relaxed, two-hour sessions.

Corporate generosity is always good, but when it can help your target customers through tough economic times—and drum up a little extra business along the way—it's a win-win for everyone. Other restaurants, bars and cafes around the globe: time to give out a little free love of your own? (Related: English lessons and eyelash extensions.)

Website: www.frescco.com

Spotted by: Leticia Pérez Prieto

We've seen the crowdsourcing contest model applied to everything from business documents to doughnut design. The latest spotting? One Billion Minds, a prize-led innovation platform that connects problem-solving scholars with solution-seeking companies and non-profits.

One Billion Minds challenges student and alumni crowds from universities worldwide to come up with innovative solutions to real-world problems. Challenges range from designing a USD 1 teaching aid for the education of children to developing an innovative solution for the garbage disposal problem in Kolkata. Prizes from the participating corporations include cash, professional recognition, and opportunities to interview for full-time or internship positions. Members can compete as individuals or teams.

In public beta as of September 2009, One Billion Minds is on a mission to change the world by unleashing the power of a billion minds on challenges in the areas of design, engineering, science, business, technology and social innovation. Something to get involved in to make that happen? (Related: Crowdsourcing economic solutions for Ireland.)

Website: www.onebillionminds.com
Contact: general.inquiry@onebillionminds.com

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann 

If ever there was a compelling reason for a school to build sustainably, it's the one faced by Vermont's Putney School not long ago. Namely, warmer winters resulting from global climate change had reduced the cold-weather sports opportunities the private boarding school traditionally relied on, leaving it with a sudden need for gym space for the first time. Its solution? A net-zero field house that's on track to be one of only five platinum LEED-certified school buildings in the nation.

By definition, net-zero energy buildings generate as much energy as they consume over the course of a year, and that's at the heart of the Putney School's 16,800-square-foot athletics building, which opened its doors last fall. Designed by Maclay Architects, the super-insulated, super-energy-efficient building uses the sun for its heating and electricity needs. Specifically, 16 sun-tracking photovoltaic solar panels power the building, feeding excess energy during sunny months back into the grid and earning the school 6 cents per kilowatt-hour as they do. In the winter, the building draws energy out again, but in an average year, it's expected to do better than break even on its energy use. Other green features of the USD 6 million field house, include low-water fixtures and composting toilets, a white reflective roof and local materials such as site-harvested wood.

“We want to show the world that net-zero energy technology for public buildings exists right now,” explains Putney School Director Emily Jones. “It’s time to move net-zero energy buildings from the theoretical realm into reality.” Indeed, we couldn't have said it better ourselves. An eco-iconic innovation to emulate at the earliest opportunity—particularly for schools with sustainability on the curriculum. (Related: Green school with an entrepreneurial bent.)

Website: www.putneyfieldhouse.org
Contact: info@putneyschool.org

Spotted by: Rick Noyes