Coursera Learning Hubs - Degree of Freedom

Coursera's new Global Learning Hub program

in Coursera Blog

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Introducing Coursera Learning Hubs: Global Participation, Local Access and Support!

At Coursera, we envision a future where everyone has access to a world-class education. We strive to create and deliver experiences that break down daily barriers that stand in the way of successful learning. Today, in support of our goals, we’re delighted to announce a new initiative- Coursera Learning Hubs - that will offer people around the world physical spaces where they can access the Internet to take a Coursera course, while learning alongside peers in an interactive, facilitated setting. All for free. 

Coursera Learning Hubs Initiative Partners

Essential to this initiative are our new and future partners, international and local organizations who share our vision and can provide on-the-ground support by offering a physical space for learning, reliable Internet access, and local course facilitators. We welcome the U.S. Department of State as a major Learning Hubs partner, as well as Bluebells School International and Lady Sriram College for Women, Digital October, Overcoming Faith Academy Kenya (in collaboration with PiCreate and Tucklets.org), Learning Links Foundation, TAPtheTECH, and LEARN. TT and the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). Together, these partners will bring Learning Hubs to initially more than 30 Embassies, American Spaces, campuses, and other physical locations worldwide:

[Locations include: Baghdad, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Chennai, Hanoi, Helsinki, Juba, Kyiv, La Paz, Lima, Manila, Mountain View, Phnom Penh, Port au Prince, Port Louis, Prague, Santiago, Seoul, Shanghai, Tbilisi, Kakamega, Moscow, Mumbai, and Port of Spain] 

From Lila Ibrahim, President of Coursera:

Coursera’s Learning Hubs initiative aims to extend opportunities for students to connect to a great education. Together with leading organizations, we hope to empower local communities worldwide with technology access, content facilitators, and a peer group of learners based on existing infrastructure. Learning Hubs will provide the benefits of in-person social learning with online content from over 100 Coursera partners in a blended learning experience. We believe this is an important step in reducing geographic and connectivity barriers. 

From Meghann Curtis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs,U.S State Department:        

We are excited to be partnering with Coursera.  Together, we hope that we can identify new models for blended online and in-person learning, offer students new skills and knowledge, and help connect them to U.S. higher education institutions.

Local Access and Support

In addition to accessing online courses across Coursera’s catalog, students near a Learning Hub can take part in in-person sessions for select courses, where they can learn alongside others and work with a local facilitator who hasfamiliarity with the subject. Depending on the technology availability and meeting frequency, in-person sessions can revolve around discussions, tutoring or projects that run parallel to the online course.

Starting today, we’re actively looking for additional partners to host Learning Hubs within their own communities. If you are interested in starting a Learning Hub or have questions about program details and requirements, check out our Learning Hubs page.

We’re very excited for the possibilities that Learning Hubs will open up for students receiving increased access and support, and for educators looking for data, best practices and models for blended learning! 

Learning Hub Page

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