Alternate education providers, ranging from K-12 through to ongoing professional training have always been considered 'outliers' and 'edge cases' to the formal education system, with a negligible percentage of learners engaging in alternative forms of education.

However, in search of better outcomes and frustrated with national systems, alternative providers are gaining traction and we now see alternative university models for example, which are focussing on specific skills and outcomes such as critical thinking, ethical decision making and leadership.