Work-based learning: 4 days employer, 1 day study
Knights College's work-based learning model has students spend roughly four days per week with an employer and one day in formal academic study.
Snapshot · Jon Mallia Podcast
L-EDUKAZZJONI GĦANDHA SSIB L-AĦJAR FIL-BNIEDEM | Morgan Parnis
Explore episode
Jun 23, 2026
Where this was said
Is-sistema tan-Knights College
At 38:39 · chapter starts 30:12
The Knights College model is built around a simple but radical premise: the best classroom is the workplace. Morgan describes a tripartite agreement — signed by the student, the college, and the employer — that formalises what would otherwise be informal work experience. Students spend approximately four days per week at their employer's premises, solving real problems alongside real colleagues, and one day in formal academic study where they apply and contextualise what they have seen. The Socratic method drives classroom interaction: instead of delivering answers, tutors ask questions that force students to construct understanding for themselves. Morgan explains that this approach produces graduates who can handle ambiguity, think critically, and communicate across professional contexts — skills that traditional academic programmes rarely develop. The segment is vivid with examples of students presenting solutions to employer challenges and even launching their own businesses during their studies.
70% of learning through AI tutor at Knights
Knights College's AI tutor handles approximately 70% of learning delivery, freeing classroom time for applied projects and critical thinking.
How Work-Based Learning Actually Works at Knights College
Knights College embeds students in real workplaces four days a week through a tripartite agreement signed by the student, the college, and the employer. Students solve real problems at work and apply theory in class — not the other way around.
Tripartite agreement: school, student, employer
Knights College formalises work-based learning through a tripartite agreement signed by the college, the student, and the employer.
What Knights College Looks for in Students Who Don't Fit the System
Knights College is built for the student who felt overlooked, labelled, or written off. Morgan argues that when a student who was told they were 'done' walks through the door and finds they can succeed, something fundamental shifts in how they see themselves.
Knights College: 12 years with no masters-level courses initially
For the first 12 years, Knights College offered no masters-level qualifications, starting only with diplomas and building up carefully.
The Founding Story of Knights College
Knights College launched with 8 students, none of whom could pay upfront. Morgan chose to proceed anyway, learning through early regulatory battles and financial pressure what it meant to build an institution around mission rather than money.
Similar snapshots
College enrollment rose from 14% to ~60% (1970s–1990s)
U.S. college enrollment surged from just 14% in the 1970s to roughly 60% by the 1990s, extending the educational and exploratory phase of young adulthood and delaying commitment.
Jedi Academy: 6-week AI training for all staff
Kavak's internal Jedi Academy trains every employee — from CEO to mechanics — to build and deploy AI agents to production in 6 weeks.
11-year med school track at age 33
May, a 33-year-old with $69,000 in combined debt, is considering a forensic pathologist career that would require 11–13 years of medical school training.
Boys 2x more likely to be suspended
Boys are twice as likely to be suspended for the exact same behavior as a girl, and five times as likely if the boy is Black.
No grief education in medical training
A person can become a psychiatrist, therapist, or coach without completing even one hour of grief education, which Kessler calls a critical gap.
Sunk cost trap in parking: free space vs paid lot
Godin illustrates sunk cost fallacy with a parking example: even after pre-paying $35 for a lot, passing a free street space triggers irrational hesitation to switch — yet the rational choice is always the free space.
Loss aversion: need £20 to offset £10 loss
Citing Daniel Kahneman's work on loss aversion, Bartlett explains that humans need to find £20 to emotionally offset the pain of losing £10 — pleasure and pain are not symmetrical.
Students save more after seeing future self
College students who saw an age-progressed photo of their future selves were more motivated to start a savings account, demonstrating imagination's real behavioral impact.
Nearly 300 researchers applied for scientific asylum in France
Nearly 300 top researchers have applied for scientific asylum in France as the Trump administration threatens to defund billions in university research.
