• Coursera has signed a partnership with Rwanda’s African Leadership University, one in the works for around two years.
• The partnership will see ALU’s courses now integrated into Coursera’s online learning platform.
• Coursera says that over 1 500 students across Africa have already benefitted from the partnership.

All the way from California, online school Coursera has signed a new partnership with the African Leadership University (ALU), a Rwandan tertiary education institute that focuses on shaping future leaders on the continent.

The partnership will see the ALU experiential learning model integrated into the Coursera digital learning technology, allowing users from across the continent to gain access to it if they are enrolled.

“This ensures access to high-quality courses while equipping learners with practical, job-relevant skills, empowering them for new job opportunities and the digital economy’s growth in the region,” the American firm says in a statement sent to Hypertext.

Over the past two years, Coursera says it has welcomed around 40 students and staff from ALU to its headquarters in Mountain View, California as part of ALU’s global leadership programme.

Here, participants met with team members of Coursera and gained an understanding of online learning. They engaged in workshops focused on design, creativity and critical thinking, and also networked with professionals, gaining valuable insights and inspiration for their future careers.

“At ALU, our mission is to shape Africa’s future leaders, and partnerships like this with Coursera play a crucial role in addressing the significant challenges facing education in Africa,” said Veda Sunassee, CEO of ALU.

“By expanding access to world-class education and ensuring that students have the necessary skills to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges, we are not only helping them to thrive but also contributing to Africa’s growth and development,” they added.

The online school says that its partnership with ALU has already allowed over 1 500 students across Africa to benefit. It has seen over 61 000 learner hours across the African continent, and over 16 000 enrollments.

Top courses for Africans include one on fintech from the University of Cape Town, a critical thinking and problem-solving course from IBM, innovation through design from the University of Sydney, and the University of Tokyo’s discourse on game theory.

The ALU joins these other renowned universities and institutes around the world in placing its courses on Coursera.

“Our partnership with ALU is a testament to our commitment to bridging this gap and providing learners in Africa with the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy,” said Kais Zribi, Coursera’s general manager for the Middle East and Africa, pictured in the cover image above.

“We are excited to see the incredible impact this collaboration is already having and look forward to expanding our efforts to reach even more learners across the continent.”

Last year, MTN South Africa onboarded multiple Coursera courses, along with courses from PACE to its free online digital skills academy.