In 2020 UNESCO launched Open Learning, the latest major Open edX platform to be built by a world-leading organisation. By using the Open edX platform UNESCO joins a long list of the world’s leading organisations who already host online training courses at scale using the Open edX platform. You can register a free account with UNESCO Open Learning on their website here: https://openlearning.unesco.org/
The Open Learning platform offers learners and instructors an ultra-modern user experience. In fact, the Open edX platform is so powerful and user-friendly that 9 out of 10 of the world’s Top 10 universities all use the Open edX platform. In order to learn more about the Open Learning platform, UNESCO have provided a summary of the aims of their new Open edX platform as follows:
The UNESCO Open Learning platform aims to provide e-learning capacities for online course development and dissemination for topics that are aligned with UNESCO’s mandate under the Natural and Human Sciences, Communication and Information, Education and Culture Sectors. The initial focus will be on science related topics, such as water resources management, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation, remote sensing, information and communications technologies (ICT) and other science related topics. Expansion of this focus will be done on a needs basis.
The specific objectives of this platform are to:
- build up a sustainable open knowledge network for UNESCO’s mandate
- Initiate activities in different learning communities to enhance competence development
- To support collaboration between organisations, experts and resource persons to strengthen e-learning opportunities, particularly within the UNESCO affiliated centres and chairs.
Which organisations offer courses on UNESCO Open Learning?
There are a number of major organisations already supporting the development of the UNESCO Open Learning platform. These include, but are not limited to, Flanders State of the Art (Belgium), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), IHE Delft Institute for Water Management and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Image: Screenshot from the Open Learning website showing some of the existing partners.
What courses are offered on UNESCO Open Learning?
At the moment there are a number of online courses being offered, some are open to the public but most are by invitation only. As previously mentioned by UNESCO Open Learning, the initial focus will be on science related topics, such as water resources management, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation, remote sensing, information and communications technologies (ICT) and other science related topics. Expansion of this focus will be done on a needs basis.
Image: Screenshot from the Open Learning website showing all available online training courses.
How do you sign up for UNESCO Open Learning?
It is easy to create a free learner account on UNESCO Open Learning, just following this link the registration page and fill in your details to register your account: https://openlearning.unesco.org/register