3 December 2017

Online courses focusing on UN Development Goals

Online and blended learning

The University of Copenhagen offers a number of free online courses, which will teach participants about specific actions in relation to achieving the UN's sustainable development goals towards 2030. This takes place in partnership with 16 other universities from all over the world

Photo by Mikal Schlosser

Social Impact Initiative
UCPH is offering five online courses focusing on some of the world's biggest challenges within the environment, health and climate change. Together with courses from the other universities, they are part of a large 'Social Impact' initiative from the global learning platform Coursera. With this initiative, Coursera and the university partners seek to inspire participants within a subject as part of their career. At the same time, they will also learn how to carry out specific actions and to start activities outside the academic world in order to help solve the global challenges.

Cross-sector Partnerships
Coursera and the university partners within the SDG Project seek to encourage  participants and teach them how to create activities outside the academic world in cooperation with various types of partners such as civil society organisations, government agencies, and private enterprise in order to help solve the global challenges.

In September, 'An Introduction to Global Health' involved this kind of collaboration, in this case with the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA. Course participants discussed specific issues with representatives from the fund’s local branches, just as they were encouraged to spread UNFPA’s key messages of promoting the use of contraception and reducing female genital mutilation as well as the number of child marriages. These activities took place via social media, in local communities, and in close circles of family and friends.

Universities taking part in the project 
The project was initiated by Leiden University, and besides UCPH the following universities are contributing: Duke University, Lund University, Macquarie University, McMaster University, National Taiwan University, Rutgers University, Tecnologico de Morrey, Utrecht University, Wesleyan University, Universite de Geneve, University of Arizona, University of Cape Town, University of Chicago, University of London and University of Manchester