Philip Regier

Phil Regier is University Dean for Educational Initiatives and CEO of EdPlus at Arizona State University. Regier is responsible for expanding the university’s digital immersion program and advancing the university’s leadership role in education innovation. During his tenure as dean, the fully online student population grew from 400 to more than 84,000, and the number of online programs grew from six to more than 300. Today, online programs at ASU utilize more than 200 technologies, and the university is a co-convener of the ASU+GSV Education Innovation Summit, the largest and most recognized assembly of education technology entrepreneurs, investors and users in the world. Regier has led many EdPlus initiatives aimed at transforming the education landscape by creating opportunities and increasing access to higher education.

In June 2014, the university announced a groundbreaking partnership with Starbucks Corporation to provide ASU’s online degree programs to eligible Starbucks partners at no out-of-pocket cost for tuition. The Global Freshman Academy launched in 2015 as a first of its kind collaboration between ASU and edX. This unique initiative provides first year college-level courses to nontraditional students worldwide who can then transfer their credits to pursue a degree program at ASU or another university. In 2016, ASU, King’s College London and UNSW Australia announced the PLuS Alliance, a global partnership led by EdPlus. The Alliance aims to solve global challenges and reduce educational gaps across the world, making world-class education and research accessible to everyone everywhere. In 2018 an agreement was announced with Uber providing degree- and non-degree learning incentives for the company’s most productive drivers or a family member. 

During the past several years a set of transformative initiatives have been undertaken in EdPlus. These include partnerships with the Al Ghurair Foundation for Education to create a college and career readiness platform for Arab youth throughout the MENA region; sponsorship by the Mastercard Foundation for programs providing high-quality training in e-learning to universities in Africa and the Middle East; and development of the MACS Accelerator, which seeks to dramatically improve student success in STEM subjects in grades 8 through 14. 

A philosophy major and math minor, Regier earned his undergraduate degree from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also holds a doctorate in accountancy from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.