Griffith University has established a partnership with massive open online course (MOOC) platformFutureLearn.
FutureLearn’s Director of Partnerships Development, Mark Lester, visited the Nathan campus in Brisbane for the formal signing (pictured below) with Griffith University Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian O’Connor.
“This initiative underlines the proactive approach to the delivery of education at Griffith University,” Professor O’Connor said.
“By partnering with a world leader in online delivery of education, Griffith University is confirming its role as an innovative leader in this space.”
Mark Lester highlighted an evolving education landscape where the expectations of today’s learners are changing constantly.
“We’re devoted to providing a platform for our partners that meets the needs of both them and their learners. We’re delighted to be working with such a forward-thinking partner in Griffith University and we can’t wait to introduce their courses to our millions of learners.”
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Debra Henly, welcomed the partnership with FutureLearn which will see the first short course launched in July.
“By developing short courses on the FutureLearn platform, we can enhance our understanding about how university programs are designed and set up for the 21st century learner,” Professor Henly said.
Informing student engagement
Professor Nick Barter(above),Academic Director of Griffith Online, believes the partnership provides an important platform to examine and inform teaching techniques and student engagement on many levels.
“Staying aware of the newest platforms is paramount for any education provider and this partnership with one of the world’s leading platforms in this market is an opportunity for us to learn more about teaching through the MOOC model,” Professor Barter said.
“I’m confident the insights and new information we gain from this partnership will inform and advance our methods on a broader scale.”
Founded by The Open University in 2012, FutureLearn is a social learning platform with more than 5.4 million learners engaging with free short online courses from world-leading UK and international universities, centres of research excellence and specialist education platforms. FutureLearn is an international platform with over 75% of its users based outside of the UK.
“The advent of the global online classroom is removing the element of place or location from the education experience, and at Griffith University we understand the importance of providing a world-class online product for students who want to start now,” Professor Barter said.
World-leading research centres
He also highlighted the potential to build short courses around some of the university’s world-leading research centres through the partnership with FutureLearn.
“Developing short courses around specialised research topics has the potential to attract interest from across the globe and FutureLearn is an ideal partner to explore the possibilities in this space.”
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