FutureLearn, the social learning platform owned by The Open University, has announced today that learners will now be able to use its massive open online courses (MOOCs) to earn academic course credits for degrees and MBAs, professional qualifications and formal CPD accreditation.
Twelve FutureLearn Programs from eight leading higher education institutions from around the world including the University of Leeds and The Open University are rolling out in 2016.
The new Programs on FutureLearn will enable learners to take part in online courses and deliver access to some of the top universities in the world with degree course modules worth up to 30 UK academic credits.
Also launching are a series of Programs that will allow learners to demonstrate Continuing Professional Development and achieve formal professional accreditation with programs from leading institutions such as St George’s (University of London), the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), and the British Council. Learners will be able to take part in Programs for free, trying out the course experience and checking its suitability for them before making the decision to pay for a Certificate of Achievement or the final assessment.
Allowing people to take part of a degree course with the flexibility offered by our platform means that they can achieve meaningful qualifications whilst still being able to work and manage the other important parts of their lives
Simon Nelson, CEO of FutureLearn said: “We see it as an important step in the unbundling of higher education and giving more control to the learner. Allowing people to take part of a degree course with the flexibility offered by our platform means that they can achieve meaningful qualifications whilst still being able to work and manage the other important parts of their lives. Our unique approach means learners will be supported through a social learning experience that allows them to learn with thousands of people from all over the world and collaborate within small groups.”
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Neil Morris, Director of Digital Learning at the University of Leeds said: “FutureLearn is an important partner in our ambitious digital strategy for student education at Leeds. We are making extensive use of the platform to offer higher education to anyone with access to the Internet and to extend the learning opportunities for our campus-based students.”
The initial Programs are open for student enrolment from today. A full list of courses can be found on the FutureLearn website. To take a Program, which will cost from £117, learners will need to complete up to eight specially designed short open courses and buy a Certificate of Achievement for each. To complete Programs that are recognised for academic credit or offer a qualification, learners will also be required to pay for and pass a further assessment module (where relevant). Its higher education partners will award credit against the grade achieved that can count towards specific degree courses or qualifications.
