Udacity was founded in 2012 by Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig to provide affordable and accessible higher education online. It offers nanodegree programs developed with industry partners like Google to teach skills like web development, data analysis, and mobile development. Courses include videos, exercises, and hands-on projects. Students work at their own pace and receive coaching and peer support. Udacity aims to bridge the gap between education and employment by teaching real-world skills needed by today's employers.