Tech giant Google, and German media and publishing firm Bertelsmann have announced funding of 75,000 MOOC scholarships through online education provider Udacity.
These scholarships mark the next step in an existing partnership which the companies describe as aiming to “prepare new European talent for the digital future”.
Google will fund 60,000 scholarships to Udacity’s Android and web development courses, which last three months. The top 6,000 students from that program will then be offered the chance to earn a scholarship for one of Udacity’s ‘nanodegree’ programs.
“Experienced developers and passionate beginners can take their skills to the next level”
Bertelsmann will fund a further 15,000 scholarships for Udacity’s data science programs.
The scholarships will be open to students around the EU, and in nations on the borders of Europe and the Mediterranean, such as Egypt, Israel, Russia and Turkey.
It follows on from a successful similar program in 2016, for which 70,000 people applied for just 10,000 scholarships.
Google is clearly no stranger to technology, but also has experience of providing education and funding in the digital realm. It has trained over three million people across the EU in the past few years, through its Growth Engine program.
Matt Brittin, president of business and operations in EMEA for Google, said the firm took the step to increase its funding, in order to benefit both beginners and those who want to develop their existing skills.
“We’re announcing the 60,000 Scholarships Challenge for Udacity Android & web dev courses… so that experienced developers and passionate beginners can take their skills to the next level and create new opportunities of their own,” he said.
Bertelsmann also has experience in the education sector, having given their worldwide employees free access to more than 10,000 online learning courses. It also run the Bertelsmann University, which offers corporate progression course, on strategy and leadership, as well as technology.
