U-M, Coursera offer Chinese learners nearly free access to online courses amid coronavirus outbreak

By | February 21, 2020

In response to the coronavirus epidemic that has restricted millions of Chinese people to their homes and towns, U-M and online learning platform Coursera are offering three popular online data science specializations to learners in China for $1 a month. The specializations are Python for Everybody, the most popular specialization on Coursera; Python 3 Programming; and Applied Data Science with Python.

“When we heard about the challenges faced by scholars and collaborators in China, we knew we wanted to do something to express our concern and lend a hand,” U-M School of Information Dean Thomas Finholt and Coursera Chief Executive Officer Jeff Maggioncalda wrote in an announcement of the program. “After discussing it, Coursera and UMSI have decided the most valuable thing we can offer is the ability to continue learning, even when international travel might be limited.”