MOOCs have traditionally been a platform by which university’s produce byte-sized courses that are delivered online.  The last year or so has seen a subtle shift in this model, with a number of non-university organizations developing courses.  These have included companies and professional bodies, but one of the more interesting was the recent course produced for the FutureLearn platform by Public Health England (PHE).

The course, which will offer students tuition on various aspects of global health protection, with PHE hopeful that it will have tangible societal benefits for those who enrol, and potentially result in lives being saved.

“I am very excited by this opportunity. Our education and training courses are available in face-to-face learning environments, and this will continue, but the digital platform offered by FutureLearn will enable many more people to access training to support the vital health protection work they do across the globe,” PHE say.

Health education

The new courses join a growing portfolio of health-related courses on the FutureLearn platform, with similar modules provided by organizations such as the NHS leadership Academy and Health Education England.

Some of these you might argue have rather limited value, such as the King’s Fund course explaining how the NHS works, but others, such as the Edward Jenner Leadership for Veterinary Professionals course that was created by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the NHS Leadership Academy is rather more robust.

The latest course is part of a growing portfolio of health-related courses, and FutureLearn believe their offering brings real value to the market.

“FutureLearn exists to transform access to education on a global scale and we are delighted to be bringing the important work of PHE to a global audience,” they explain.  “PHE has an unrivalled reputation in the field of health protection, and with the challenges facing all healthcare systems, the partnership will have global impact.”