Open Universities Australia has signed mainland Chinese University and two Middle Eastern Universities to deliver their courses on its free open learning platform, Open2Study.
"Given the platform attracts over 60 per cent of its students from over 170 countries, we are beyond pleased that these prestigious international universities have chosen an Australian made platform for their free online courses," said Open2Study's Executive General Manager, Mr Jose Herrera Perea.
"The partnership with South China University of Technology which will deliver a course on Chinese Language and Culture which helps remove some of the enigma around the Chinese community. The course allows students to learn about origins of some of the values that underpin Chinese society and how these are being affected by economic development and urbanisation."
"Abu Dhabi University has signed on to deliver a course in the Art of Drawing and Painting and Jordan University of Science and Technology will be delivering a course in Microbiology and Forensic Science."
According to Herrera Perea, a major appeal of the platform is that it allows the educational institutions to introduce themselves in the international market in a low risk environment. As an end-to-end platform, it is responsible for the learning and instructional design, production, platform maintenance, learning analytics and course facilitation which liberates the lecturers to concentrate their area of expertise so they can deliver engaging course content.
"The partnership with these institutions consolidates Open2Study's position as a comprehensive online learning platform. The global content is reflective of new and emerging courses," said Mr Herrera Perea.
The platform continues to set the benchmark with its completion rates averaging 25 per cent compared to an industry average of nine per cent.
"We are pleased to have created an Australian educational product that allows students to learn from experts from around the globe," said Mr Herrera Perea.