Short Online Courses

Short online courses are free courses that enable learners around the world to gain a new skill, expand their interests in a topic, or fulfil professional development needs.

The University has been delivering free short online courses since 2012, and we have created more than 100 courses hosted on three partner platforms: Coursera, Edx, and FutureLearn. These partners take our courses to millions of learners around the world. More than 5 million learners have taken one of our free short online courses.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are one form of short online course that provide a fantastic vehicle for the University to achieve our strategic priorities. Our University Strategy 2030 includes an objective to enable global participation in education – these free courses enable learners around the globe study a vast range of subjects.

Our short online courses also play an important role in supporting the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs). The University's commitment to providing free, open-access materials to learners around the world on a broad range of topics supports the key aims; to address global challenges, inspire action, and work towards a better future for everyone. Find out more about how our courses support the 17 SDGs.

Potential benefits of developing a short online course:

• Widen participation and community outreach
• Engage with a global audience
• Research and innovation
• Strengthen strategic relationships through MOOC collaborations and partnerships
• Re-purpose existing content and contribute to Open Education Resources