The Andhra Pradesh government has recently partnered with edX, an e-learning platform offering massive online open courses (MOOC) from over 170 universities globally. The collaboration aims to enable college students from the state to access over 1,000 courses from various disciplines, including computer science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), arts and commerce for free of cost.
As per the MoU, edX will work with the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) department and evolve a roadmap for amplifying existing university courses. The platform will also help the State government meet its training and learning needs, identify learning gaps, and curate MOOCs concerning the current curriculum of both professional and conventional degree programmes.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Principal Secretary of the state’s Higher Education Department J Shyamala Rao and edX Founder and CEO Anant Agarwal in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said:
The agreement with edX was a game changer in the higher education sector as the students would have access to the best courses (free of cost) certified by renowned universities such as Harvard University, MIT, Cambridge and Oxford. These courses would greatly benefit students looking for the best jobs in India and abroad.
Upon successful completion, the students will get a certificate from the university or institution that offers the course. Courses from the top four institutions of the world, namely, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge, are offered by edX.
Lauding the Chief Minister for his vision, Chief Executive Officer of edX, Anant Agarwal, said:
Irrespective of the student’s background, the CM’s vision will provide them with access to the best courses from the best universities the world over. This is the true democratization of learning through technology.
Anant Agarwal would also advise the officials on curriculum design, new vertical creation, revamping existing courses and innovation in education for re-skilling and upskilling students. Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana, Higher Education Council Chairman Prof K Hemachandra Reddy, Principal Secretary (School Education) Praveen Prakash and representatives of edX were also present at the signing event.
edX was established in 2012 by Harvard and MIT to make the world’s best education available. The company connects over 76 million people with online learning to meet every professional moment. With top-ranked universities and organizations at the forefront of their fields, the platform offers thousands of job-relevant programs across nearly every career discipline, from artificial intelligence and robotics to sustainability and public health.
