Oct. 13, 2021 — The New England College of Optometry (NECO) recently announced that it is expanding its offerings to include a hybrid teaching and clinical training model, designed to make NECO’s optometric programs more accessible.

The program, named Agile Campus, is slated to launch in fall 2023. 

“We are at a moment of disruptive innovation in both higher education and health care,” says NECO president and CEO Howard Purcell, O.D, FAAO, 2020 #EBGameChangers honoree. “The Agile Campus model builds on New England College of Optometry’s history of innovation and excellence in optometric education through its mission, ‘Changing the way people see the world.’ By combining cutting-edge distance learning with extensive and rigorous hands-on clinical training, we can extend our impact and make the NECO learning experience accessible to new and diverse students across the country.”

Those who enroll in the program will take part in both online learning and in-person clinical training.

The college has shared that it is in the final stages of formalizing a partnership with a national leader in creating online and hybrid education models to help develop Agile Campus.

“We recognize today’s students appreciate the flexibility offered by a hybrid learning model. To create a forward-looking O.D. degree, we will build digital offerings from the ground up to maximize new technology platforms and the curriculum development expertise of our faculty,” says Erik Weissberg, O.D., FAAO, VP and Dean of Academic Affairs. “This four-year program will share the same academic and clinical training standards as our traditional O.D. program.”