While the cost of higher education at traditional Universities has reached a level of unaffordable bubble-like proportions, technology has actually been democratizing learning and bringing down the cost of learning for the next decade’s most important skills.
Recognizing that we are moving into an age of rapid disruption in higher education, many of the world’s best Universities are putting their most popular courses taught by their best professors online to grows their brands to a worldwide audience of lifelong learners.
This makes the present moment a golden age for self-directed learners who want to learn fast-growing skills without having to commute long distances and sit in a traditional classroom.
Learning Anywhere In The Open Classroom:
While many traditional professions are either hyper-competitive or being disrupted by technology, there are new professions and industries that are rising, most of which are connected to the Internet and technological innovation in some way.
This means that many of the next decade’s most valuable and fastest-growing skills can be learned online by watching the lectures on video, applying what you learn to earn micro-credentials and building a digital portfolio that demonstrates your talents and expertise.
You can freely audit nearly all of the 100 online courses that I’ve posted below. If you choose to purchase a course or specialization for the certifications from each University then we get a share of the revenue (affiliate disclosure).
If you want to build new skill sets and do more meaningful and challenging work that solves important global problems then start learning from some great professors at the world’s most prestigious Universities.
1. Sustainability
Learn the sustainable practices that are reshaping the economy.
1. Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action – University of Michigan
2. Introduction to Sustainability – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
3. Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities – Lund University
4. Biosphere 2 Science for the Future of Our Planet – University of Arizona
5. The Sustainable Development Goals – A Global, Transdisciplinary Vision for the Future – University of Copenhagen
6. Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems: The Nexus between Water, Energy and Food – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
7. Sustainability through Soccer: Systems-Thinking in Action – University of Virginia
8. Sustainable Development in the 21st Century with Ban Ki-moon – Yonsei University (Coursera)
2. Renewable Energy
Learn how renewable energy can power the future of the world.
1. Renewable Energy and Green Building Entrepreneurship – Duke University
2. Introduction To Solar Cells – Technical University of Denmark
3. Our Energy Future – University of California San Diego
4. Wind Energy – Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
5. Energy, Environment, and Everyday Life – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
3. Sustainable Commerce
Apply sustainability practices in commercial organizations.
1. Become a Sustainable Business Change Agent Specialization – University of Colorado Denver (Coursera)
2. Corporate Sustainability. Understanding and Seizing the Strategic Opportunity – Università Bocconi (Coursera)
3. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): A Strategic Approach – University of Pennsylvania (edX)
4. Strategy and the Sustainable Enterprise – IIM Bangalore
4. Digital Entrepreneurship
Learn the fundamentals of how to plan and launch your own business.
1. Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business Specialization – University of Maryland
2. Creativity And Entrepreneurship – Berklee College of Music
3. Social Entrepreneurship – University of Pennsylvania
4. Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship – University of Illinois
5. Corporate Entrepreneurship: Innovating within Corporations Specialization – University of Maryland
6. Startup Entrepreneurship Specialization – Israel Institute of Technology
5. Leadership
Develop your leadership skills and grow much faster in your career.
1. Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence – Case Western Reserve University
2. Inspired Leadership Specialization – Case Western Reserve
3. Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator – Yale University
4. Introduction to Public Speaking – University of Washington
5. Leading People and Teams Specialization – University of Michigan
6. Finance and Investing
Understand international financial markets and using investment strategies.
1. Financial Markets and Investment Strategy Specialization – Indian School of Business
2. Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization – Rice University
3. Welcome to Game Theory – University of Tokyo
4. Introduction to Finance: Valuation and Investing – University of Michigan
5. Finance for Everyone: Smart Tools for Decision-Making – University of Michigan
7. Digital Marketing
Learn the new analytical, performance-based digital marketing skills.
1. Content Strategy for Professionals: Ensuring Your Content’s Impact – Northwestern University
2. Foundations of Marketing Analytics Specialization – Emory University
3. Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content – University of Pennsylvania
4. Social Media Specialization – Northwestern University
5. Marketing In A Digital World – University of Illinois
8. Business Development Strategy
Develop your business strategy and strategic brand communication skills.
1. Foundations of Business Strategy – University of Virginia (Coursera)
2. Business Foundations Specialization – University of Pennsylvania (Coursera)
3. Business Analytics Specialization – University of Pennsylvania (Coursera)
4. Business Strategies for A Better World – University of Pennsylvania (Coursera)
5. Business Communications – University of British Columbia
6. Intelligence Tools for the Digital Age – IE Business School
9. Design Thinking
Apply design thinking to better understand and solve complex, real-world problems.
1. Getting Started: Agile Meets Design Thinking – University of Virginia
2. Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector – University of Virginia
3. Design Thinking for Leading and Learning – MIT
4. Product Management with Lean, Agile and System Design Thinking – Boston University
10. Design
Develop your graphic design skills and build more effective user interfaces.
1. Interaction Design Specialization – University of California San Diego
2. Design and Make Infographics – Michigan State University
3. Design: Creation of Artifacts in Society – University of Pennsylvania
4. Gamification – University of Pennsylvania
5. Fundamentals of Graphic Design Specialization – California Institute of the Arts
11. Artificial Intelligence
Learn the emerging A.I. technologies that will power the next economic boom.
1. Emerging Technologies: From Augmented Reality to IoT to Big Data – Yonsei University
2. Deep Learning Specialization – Stanford University
3. Machine Learning Specialization – University of Washington
12. Data Science
Follow scientific methods for data analysis and solving problems using data.
1. Data Science Specialization – John Hopkins University
2. Introduction to Data Exploration and Visualization – Arizona State University
3. Data Systems Specialization – University of Michigan
4. Introduction to Applied Data Science – IBM Learning Labs
13. Blockchain
Learn the blockchain platform that is disrupting the world of finance.
1. Blockchain for Business – An Introduction to Hyperledger Technologies – The Linux Foundation
2. Blockchain Specialization – University of Buffalo
3. Bitcoin, Ethereum and Cryptocurrencies – University of California Berkeley
14. Computer Science
Learn computer science and how to program them yourself.
1. Python for Everybody Specialization – University of Michigan
2. Learn to Program: The Fundamentals – University of Toronto
3. CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science – Harvard University
4. Problem Solving, Programming, and Video Games – University of Alberta
5. TensorFlow In Practice – DeepLearning.AI
15. Web Development
Learn how to make websites and develop web apps.
1. Web Design for Everybody (Basics of Web Development and Coding) Specialization – University of Michigan
2. Full Stack Web and Multiplatform Mobile App Development Specialization – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
3. Programming for the Web with JavaScript – University of Pennsylvania
4. Full Stack Web Development With React – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
5. Responsive Website Development and Design Specialization – University of London.
16. Mobile Development
Learn how to develop apps for mobile devices, including V.R. and A.R.
1. iOS App Development with Swift Specialization – University of Toronto
2. Android App Development Specialization – Vanderbilt University
3. Mobile VR App Development with Unity – Unity Labs
4. Getting Started with Augmented Reality – Institut Mines-Télécom
5. 100 Days of Swift UI – Hacking With Swift
17. Cloud Computing
One of the fastest-growing areas of the economy is cloud computing and there is a shortage of skilled people.
1. An Introduction to Programming the Internet of Things (IOT) Specialization – UCI
2. Cloud Computing Security – University of Colorado
3. Data Engineering with Google Cloud Professional Certificate – Google
4. Amazon AWS Cloud Training – Amazon
5. ServiceNow Training and Certification – Service Now
18. Robotics and Hardware
Develops the skills to build robots, computer hardware, and networks from scratch.
1. Robotics Specialization – University of Pennsylvania
2. The 3D Printing Revolution – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
3. CyberSecurity Specialization – University of Maryland
5. Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris – Hebrew University of Jerusalem
6. Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis – MIT
19. Science
Learn new skills for the cutting edge of scientific research.
1. Science Literacy: How Solid Science Can Help You Save the World – Erasmus University Rotterdam
2. Genomics: Decoding the Universal Language of Life – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
3. Quantum Mechanics for Everyone – Georgetown University
4. How Things Work: An Introduction to Physics – University of Virginia
5. DNA: Biology’s Genetic Code – Rice University
6. Introduction to Biology – The Secret of Life – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
20. Mathematics
Learn to use mathematics, statistics, and probability to help solve important problems.
1. Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Ratio – The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
2. Fat Chance: Probability from the Ground Up – Harvard University
3. Pre-University Calculus – TU Delft
4. Math in Sports – University of Notre Dame
5. Introduction to Logic – Stanford University
21. Health and Well-Being:
Today’s physical and mental health epidemics along with a rapidly aging population mean that all kinds of health professionals and health-related skills will grow in demand.
1. The Addicted Brain – Emory University
2. The Science of Exercise – University of Colorado Boulder
3. Gut Check: Exploring Your Microbiome – University of Colorado Boulder
4. Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us – University of Pennsylvania
5. Introductory Human Physiology – Duke University
6. Introduction to the Biology of Cancer – John Hopkins University
7. Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life – University of Chicago
8. The Science of Well-Being – Yale University
