E-commerce giant Alibaba together with Peking University launched a joined MOOC platform. Chinese MOOCs currently features over 20 courses from lecturers at Peking University which can be accessed for free. Some of the courses offer certifications for completion.
According to Tech in Asia, the platform also lists six other universities as partners, including University of Hong Kong, National Taiwan University, and Beijing Normal, yet there are no courses available from these institutions at the moment.
Chinese MOOCs enters a competitive market as both Coursera and edX have launched portals with Chinese partners over the past two years alongside homegrown portals like Kaikeba, Guokr, Jike Xueyuan or Xingshuai Teach.
Online education is growing fast as it has become an attractive alternative for students in China who feel those offerings are more flexible and cheaper compared to traditional alternatives.
Further Reading
- Alibaba and Peking University Establish Chinese MOOC Platform | TechNode
- Alibaba and top Chinese university launch new education portal for MOOCs | Tech in Asia
- China Sees Rise in Online Education as Students Prefer Its Flexibility | Yibada