Dive Summary:
- The Open University has launched Futurelearn, a U.K.-based massive open online course (MOOC) platform, to challenge U.S.-based providers' current monopoly of the MOOC market.
- U.S.-based providers (Coursera, edX and Udacity) currently offer 230 MOOCs from 40 higher ed institutions to over 3 million students.
- Thus far, 12 U.K. institutions have partnered with Futurelearn:
- University of Birmingham
- University of Bristol
- Cardiff University
- University of East Anglia
- University of Exeter
- King's College, University of London
- Lancaster University
- University of Leeds
- The Open University
- University of Southampton
- University of St Andrews
- University of Warwick
From the article:
"... The new platform will operate as an independent company, majority owned by The Open University, although details of other investors have yet to be confirmed.
Simon Nelson, a key player in the development of BBC's online offerings, including the iPlayer, has been recruited to head up the new company. ..."
