Through the new division, the two groups of stakeholders will work directly with Coursera to develop study programmes for targeted groups of learners, such as their staff.

“We have developed expertise in supporting blended learning models”

They will then offer training on a subsidised basis. Some partners will subsidise the cost of learning completely, giving learners free access to courses, while others will cost-share with course participants or establish reimbursement schemes to incentivise learners to complete the course.

The new division is a “natural extension” of Coursera for Business, which the company launched last year for companies to deliver training to their staff, Rebecca Taber, head of government partnerships at Coursera, told The PIE News.

The company has now reached a “critical mass of partners launching workforce development programmes”, she explained, prompting the launch of Coursera for Governments & Nonprofits.

“We have learned from over one dozen partnerships with governments and non-profits, and have developed expertise in supporting blended learning models,” she said.

Online delivery is an attractive option for governments and the third sector as it enables them to to scale their training, addressing a growing skills gap in workforce training worldwide, Taber said.

And Coursera’s analytics platform allows partners to track learners’ progress, she added.

“As we spoke with governments and non-profits about how we could work together to help close this skills gap, we consistently heard that they needed help curating content, designing learning models and tracking impact.”