In 2012: Harvard and MIT created a charitable nonprofit organization (the "Nonprofit") called edX Inc. with a mission to:
- increase access to high quality education for everyone, everywhere,
- enhance teaching and learning on campus and online, and
- advance teaching and learning through research.
From 2012 - 2021: The Nonprofit accomplished this mission by (1) developing and maintaining the Open edX open source platform for online courses, (2) offering a global website at www.edX.org that runs on the Open edX Platform to host online educational courses and programs offered by partner colleges, universities, and other providers, and (3) assisting such partners in their creation of effective online educational content.
On November 16, 2021: the Nonprofit completed the sale of its global website business at www.edX.org to 2U, Inc. As a result of this transaction:
- The business known as edX and the www.edX.org website are no longer governed by Harvard or MIT.
- Instead, the business known as edX and the www.edX.org website are now part of a for-profit organization that is owned and operated by 2U, Inc., a publicly-traded, global education company.
- The Nonprofit expects to pursue its original mission through research and thought leadership activities that improve the accessibility and viability of online education and advance technical innovations for teaching and learning including via ongoing support for the Open edX open source platform. The Nonprofit is separate and independent from 2U, Inc.
- The Nonprofit continues to be governed by a board of trustees appointed by Harvard and MIT.