Coursera, the world’s largest MOOC platform, has announced that it will jointly launch MOOC activities in China with Guokr.com. The new activities will explore new ways of cooperation between major companies and online open course platforms.
Coursera and Guokr aim to invite enterprises to design specific courses and projects for MOOC learners, providing them opportunities to present their strengths and performance to potential employers. In addition, the enterprises will find it easier to train and target potential human resources specifically to their needs.
Guokr, a social networking site based around popular science with a large number of university-aged users, is a long-term partner of Coursera in China and joined Coursera’s Global Translation Partners programme in September 2013. Its MOOC Initiative currently has nearly 900,000 registered users.
Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2015-04/09/c_134135519.htm
Analysis by Liu Xiao xiao, Education Services Manager and Kevin Prest, Senior Analyst
In comparison with current MOOC sites in China, which focus on high quality courses from universities and research institutes, Coursera in China has placed importance on vocational education as well, with input from company partners. This is in line with the Chinese government’s calls for broad changes to the vocational education sector, with greater participation from companies and private investors. There could be opportunities for UK colleges to promote vocational courses by designing MOOC courses together with industry partners or to identify potential partnerships with Chinese vocational education institutions in innovative ways, leveraging online platforms.