Coursera Day, India: Recognizing Innovation in Learner-First Education and Talent Transformation

By Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, India and APAC, Coursera

India stands as one of our fastest-growing markets, playing a pivotal role in our global strategy. Since the pandemic, the country has led the world in new learner registrations, surpassing 15 million, and enrollments exceeding 40 million. This growth is a powerful testament to the unwavering passion of Indian learners and the efforts of institutions and the government to equip individuals with skills for a digital future. 

We celebrated this remarkable journey at our first regional annual conference – Coursera Day, in association with IIT Bombay. We showcased several new partnerships, degree and certificate programs, platform innovations powered by ChatGPT, immersive learning experiences and a new skills-based recruitment service to unlock career opportunities for Coursera learners.

The action-packed day brought a diverse group of thought leaders, educators, and professionals from industry and university to collectively explore the future of education and work. Leaders from IIT Bombay, Fractal Analytics, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and BITS Pilani discussed “Building ‘learner first’ programs that drive skills and outcomes”. Another panel explored “Digital Upskilling: Navigating Rapid Change to Stay Ahead” with representatives from Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Finance Limited, PwC India, Bank of Baroda, and Tata Power. A panel of university leaders from SIBM Pune, Woxsen University, TISS, and Graphic Era University discussed “Advancing Higher Education from Curriculum to Careers.”

The highlight of the day was hearing from Prof T.G Sitharam, Chairman – AICTE, who shared his insights on the transformative potential of the NEP in shaping India’s higher education landscape.

“Our focus is on integrating skill and education, revolutionizing the learning experience. With the Ministry of Education’s groundbreaking initiatives and a strong emphasis on vocational and distance learning, supported by online learning platforms, the future of education in India is bright. Through curriculum design and activation, we’re excited about transforming education, promoting lifelong learning, building a future-ready workforce, and unlocking India’s full potential,”  Prof T.G Sitharam, Chairman – AICTE.

During the day, we recognized the contributions of our partners and customers in expanding access to high-quality education and broadening career opportunities amidst change and disruption:

  • Tally Education Pvt. Ltd., received the Career Transformation Award for their entry-level professional certificate – Tally Bookkeeper – which has attracted over 7,000 learners. Nearly 40% of them come from outside India, highlighting the global appeal of the program.
  • Prof. Vishal Gupta from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM A) won the Learners First Award for the Leadership Skills course, boasting a 4.98 rating and 5-star feedback from 99% of learners.
  • Indian Statistical Institute’s Dr. Arnab Chakraborty received the Innovation Award for his course in the Post-graduate Diploma in Applied Statistics. With hands-on exercises and diverse video styles, learners find it to be engaging and impactful.
  • Professors Sundaresan Raman and Jagat Sesh Challa of BITS Pilani received the 2023 Coursera Innovation Outstanding Achievement Award for their Introduction to Programming course. The course stacks into the BSc Computer Science program, allowing for continuous learning opportunities.

The Talent Transformation Award recognized three businesses for their contribution to employee success and career growth through online learning:

  •  Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Group for their outstanding achievement in skill development across their group companies, including L&T Corp, LTIMindtree, LTFS, and LTTS. Through the ‘One L&T program,’ they successfully implemented 60 focused programs, resulting in more than 400,000 learning hours across Technical, Functional, and Business areas.
  • Bajaj Finance Limited (BFL) for demonstrating agility and prioritizing enterprise skilling to maintain their competitive edge. Within a year, BFL launched over 40 digital and technology-focused learning programs leading to significant skill-building for their high-potential corporate talent.
  • Marlabs for their skills-first approach to upskilling employees in emerging tech, soft, and leadership skills. Their commitment to personalized learning experiences has led to employees investing over 3,300 hours across 70+ career development pathways in just 10 months.

The Campus Transformation Award honored three top institutions that embraced online learning to enhance education quality, modernize curricula, and make learning more job-relevant:

  • Symbiosis International University for their wide-ranging utilization of Coursera for Campus, integrating courses and industry credentials across disciplines such as Management, Law, and Economics.
  • Malla Reddy Group of Institutions for their commitment to student employability. Coursera content is integrated into the curriculum, providing deep skilling and industry certifications to engineering and healthcare students.
  • Woxsen University for their dedication to delivering innovative programs and creating engaging blended learning experiences. Their flagship LEAP program and collaborations with Coursera on initiatives like the Executive Fellowship, Advisory Board, and Woxsen Executive Council showcase their unwavering focus on advancing education. 

Axis Bank and Graphic Era University, Dehradun was recognized with the Hiring Solutions Pioneer Award for their exceptional deployment of the Hiring Solutions pilot. Taking a skills-first approach, Axis Bank efficiently recruited entry-level talent from a pool of industry-certified campus learners. Graphic Era University augmented its learning programs, empowering students to develop and showcase the skills needed for in-demand tech roles.

Coursera Day celebrated our commitment to empowering learners and driving educational transformation. The wide range of ideas and innovations shared by the community paves the way for a new paradigm in learner-first education, the use of emerging technologies, reskilling efforts, and student employability. As we move forward in this next phase of growth in India, we strive to create a skilled, resilient, and competitive workforce by making job-relevant education accessible and relevant for everyone.

IIT Guwahati Launches Online Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence on Coursera

By Coursera

The new program offers multiple admission pathways to expand access and grow talent pool for generative AI and data science jobs; Applications open July 19, 2023

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, India’s #7 top engineering institute, has launched an online Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree Program in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence on one of the world’s leading online learning platforms, Coursera. This online degree prepares learners for high-paying, fast-growing careers in data science and artificial intelligence.

Data science and artificial intelligence (AI) skills have become critical across roles and industries, driven by improved digital access and the rapid adoption of generative AI. The National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes on training and preparing professionals in cutting-edge areas that are fast gaining prominence, such as machine learning, AI, big data analysis, etc., for enhancing the employability of the youth. NEP 2020 further highlights the importance of increasing the Gross Enrollment Ratio in higher education. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, tech roles, including AI and machine learning specialists, data analysts, and data scientists, are expected to grow by more than 30% by 2028. 

To meet this demand and implement NEP 2020 recommendations, IIT Guwahati is opening up access to the completely online degree program through multiple admissions pathways. Anyone after Class XII or its equivalent, with mathematics as a compulsory subject, can apply. Those eligible and registered for JEE Advanced (in any year) will get direct admission, while those without can complete an online course and gain entry based on their performance.

The degree rewards learning throughout with multiple exit options. Learners can exit the program by converting their credits into a certificate, diploma, degree, and, ultimately, an honor’s degree. To maximize flexibility and engagement, online courses are primarily asynchronous, enabling students to learn at their own pace, while optional campus visits provide opportunities to engage with faculty and peers. 

Students build a coding foundation before progressing to specialized subjects, including generative AI, deep learning, computer vision, and data mining. They enhance their learning through group projects, real-world case studies, and internships. Industry micro-credentials are offered in the program and recognized as prior learning, enabling students to expand job-relevant knowledge.

“This program teaches students the digital skills they need to thrive in the modern workforce. They graduate knowing how to implement the latest AI and data science techniques in any field, setting them up for success in their careers,” said Prof. Parameswar K. Iyer, Officiating Director, IIT Guwahati.

Graduates can pursue more than 4,00,000 open roles in India, including AI engineer, data engineer, ML engineer, and data analyst. Students receive job placement support from IIT Guwahati and access to Coursera’s skill-based recruitment platform, Coursera Hiring Solutions. IIT Guwahati graduates have secured positions at leading companies, including Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, L&T, and Intel. 

“We’re honored to expand our partnership with IIT Guwahati, enabling learners across the globe to earn a degree from one of India’s best institutions that prepares them for high-demand roles,” said Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer, Coursera. “AI is transforming the world, and we need professionals who can harness this technology. With multiple pathways to admissions, more students can apply and take hold of their futures.” 

Applications for the BSc (Honours) in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence program open on July 19, 2023, and classes are scheduled to start in October 2023. To learn more and apply, visit https://www.iitg.ac.in/acad/  or  https://coursera.org/degrees/bachelor-of-science-data-science-ai-iitguwahati

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Reporting Early Success of our National Initiative with the Ministry of Higher Education & Science, Republic of Kazakhstan to Prepare University Students for the Digital Economy

By Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera

In response to a growing skills gap and accelerating population growth, the Republic of Kazakhstan partnered with Coursera in March 2023 to uplevel their higher education system. Through this partnership, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education set out to equip both students and faculty with digital and other essential skills and credentials to succeed in a digital economy. The Ministry has integrated over 650 courses from the world’s top universities and companies on Coursera for credit across 25 public universities in the Republic. 

National implementation and swift adoption of various programs after the initial launch have been made possible through the close collaboration of the government, higher education systems, and strategic partners such as Bilim Media Group (BMG). Since the launch, 20,000 students and faculty have signed up and spent nearly 100,000 hours learning new skills online, amassing 40,000 enrollments and completing over 25,000 courses. 

Together with Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education, Republic of Kazakhstan and Rauan Kenzhekhanuly, CEO, Bilim Media Group, celebrating the early success of the Coursera Qazaqstan Project and the exceptional progress made by the university students

“In the context of globalization and digitalization, amid increasing competition in the global labor market, it is imperative to establish a flexible and open national education system that fosters continuous learning and enhances professional skills. The initiation of the Coursera Qazaqstan Project marks a significant milestone, as it involves the translation of courses taught by world-renowned professors into Kazakh. This initiative holds paramount importance for our nation’s future, our language, and the overall enhancement of education quality and accessibility,” said Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education, Republic of Kazakhstan.

The courses and credentials in the program, available in Kazakh, English, and Russian languages, focus on high-demand STEM and digital skills and career readiness for students seeking digital jobs. This includes over 30 entry-level Professional Certificates designed by industry leaders, including Google, IBM, SAP, and Meta, to prepare learners with no prior work experience for entry-level careers in fields such as cybersecurity, project management, UX design, and software development. 

“Inspiring student motivation requires more than just course localization. It necessitates the provision of methodological support and the integration of these courses into the university curriculum,” said Rauan Kenzhekhanuly, CEO, BMG.

The most popular courses from the initiative include: 

The remarkable progress of this program follows an impactful initial partnership with the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative in 2020, a pandemic response initiative that provided governments no-cost access to Coursera to retrain displaced workers for in-demand jobs.

We’re excited to join forces with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in empowering university students with critical skills to flourish in the digital economy. The early success is a testament to the demand for these job-ready programs and serves as a powerful blueprint for how governments and higher education systems can collaborate to train the entire student population with in-demand skills using Coursera. 

For more information about Coursera for Government, visit coursera.org/government.  

Announcing Coursera Hiring Solutions to connect learners with entry-level digital jobs 

By Shravan Goli, Chief Operating Officer

Broadband connectivity, online learning, and remote work are unlocking new ways for individuals to participate in the global economy, regardless of their location or prior experience. The new labor market can uncover more equitable career opportunities for job seekers with the right skills and credentials. Increasingly, employers are considering skills-based hiring to address talent shortages and boost their workplace diversity. However, verifying a candidate’s skill remains challenging, especially for entry-level roles, when a career starter or switcher may lack a college degree or relevant prior work experience.

Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of Coursera Hiring Solutions (Beta), our skills-based recruitment service that matches industry-trained, job-ready talent with companies filling entry-level digital roles. 

With Coursera Hiring Solutions: 

  • Job seekers can develop the skills and earn credentials they need to be considered for entry-level, digital jobs – and showcase them to employers. They can use their Skills Profile to showcase their job readiness with credentials, assessments, projects, and more. This can include entry-level Professional Certificates from leading companies like Google, Meta, and IBM, skill proficiency assessments, and projects that allow job seekers to demonstrate their skills to employers with work samples. 
  • Employers can expand and diversify their candidate pool by gaining access to industry-trained, job-ready talent. Recruiters can use the Talent Dashboard to view pre-qualified entry-level talent, all in one place, with filters to identify candidates that meet their unique sourcing requirements. They can also verify candidate skill proficiency at scale with role-based skills assessments and use projects to evaluate a candidate’s ability to apply their skills in realistic on-the-job scenarios.
  • Universities and governments can strengthen employment outcomes by helping job seekers demonstrate job readiness and unlock career opportunities outside their local community. 

Job seekers can use their Skills Profile to showcase their job readiness with credentials, assessments, projects, and more.

Recruiters can use the Talent Dashboard to view pre-qualified entry-level talent, all in one place, with filters to identify candidates that meet their unique sourcing requirements.

Coursera Hiring Solutions is now available to learners and a select number of employers in India, with plans to expand to the US in the coming months. 

In India, 2 out of 3 employers say that a major hiring challenge is finding applicants with the right skills for the job – a trend likely to rise with a growing skills gap and rapid population growth. Leading Indian employers, including Axis Bank are piloting the offering to address this challenge by uncovering talent from campuses across India, such as Graphic Era Deemed to be University, K L Deemed To Be University, and Chandigarh University.

Axis Bank has implemented an inclusive hiring approach that evaluates candidates based on their skill set, instead of subjective criteria like company “culture fit.” The company is using Coursera Hiring Solutions to identify and recruit talent based on skills, rather than relying solely on formal qualifications such as having a college degree, or limiting candidates to certain cities or colleges.

“We are excited to leverage Coursera Hiring Solutions to access their pool of industry-certified campus learners and recruit entry-level talent faster and at scale. This partnership provides us with a unique opportunity to reach learners across the country to build a more inclusive and diverse workforce, aligning with our strategy of hiring and training skilled talent.”

–Rajkamal Vempati, Head of Human Resources at Axis Bank

“With the hiring solution from Coursera, we’re able to augment our placement program and create more opportunities for success in new economy careers. The Professional Certificates help our students build and showcase their skills, giving them a competitive edge with employers seeking candidates for high-demand tech roles.”

– Dr. Durgaprasad Gangodkar, Dean-International Affairs and Professor at Graphic Era Deemed to be University

“Coursera’s high-quality career training from industry leaders allowed me to build a competitive skills profile and gain visibility among top recruiters that landed me my dream job as a software developer at Axis Bank in a highly competitive industry.”

– Anagha Bhardwaj, Graphic Era Deemed to be University graduate and soon-to-be software developer at Axis Bank

Rapid technological shifts have created a qualified talent shortage, causing employers to look beyond traditional hiring pools and degree requirements to fulfill open roles. Global companies such as Google, IBM, and EY have adopted skills-based hiring to expand and diversify their talent pipelines – and roughly 90% of employers using skills-based hiring have reduced their time and cost to hire and increased workplace diversity. According to a global Coursera 2022 survey, 97% of employers are considering following suit to address skilled talent shortages.  

We’re delighted to present Hiring Solutions, an innovative approach to connecting learners with entry-level digital jobs, and advance our efforts to make skills-based hiring a reality.

For more information, visit coursera.org/hiring-solutions. If you are an India-based Coursera for Business or Government customer interested in joining the Beta, please reach out to your customer success manager.

Coursera Enables Global Brands to Deliver Enhanced Leadership Training to Help Drive Retention

By Zac Rule, VP of Enterprise at Coursera

Widespread economic uncertainty is causing businesses to rethink their priorities in the new year. With shrinking hiring budgets, more companies are now looking internally to fill the critical skills gaps needed to maintain growth and drive innovation. Ensuring strong leadership throughout the organization to help navigate rapid changes in the business is a top focus. 

Currently, 88% of businesses cite the need for stronger leadership development. A key driver for this is employee retention. Research shows that when managers are not leading effectively, employees are more likely to leave. A recent survey of U.S. workers found that 82% would potentially quit their jobs because of a bad manager. Between the pandemic, remote work, and fears of a recession, today’s managers are dealing with more unique challenges than ever before. Providing these managers with effective leadership training is critical.

We’re excited about the momentum we’re seeing around leadership training on the Coursera for Business platform. With our expansive content catalog, Coursera helped generate 16 million + leadership and management related course enrollments in 2022 alone, representing a 37% increase over pre-pandemic levels. In particular, management skills that help guide teams through change are now among the fastest growing. 

Coursera is working with leading brands around the world to help these businesses develop the next generation of leaders. 

Equifax, a global data, analytics, and technology company, has partnered with Coursera to  deepen its culture of learning and help employees take the next step forward in their careers by developing essential leadership and technical skills.

“We are building the industry’s top leaders in Product, Data & Analytics and Technology, with a cloud-native edge.” said Dan Glennon, Senior Vice President of Global Product Operations, Equifax, Inc. “Great leaders infuse our culture with new energy and innovative thinking, which upweights the value we offer to customers and consumers every day. Coursera’s extensive, world-class content and custom-tailored curriculum has been a key element of our talent development strategy.”

From high-speed trains, metros, and monorails to turnkey systems, infrastructure, and signaling, Alstom provides one of the broadest portfolios of smart and sustainable mobility solutions in the industry. As a leader in transportation, the company recognizes the importance of having strong leadership in a remote work environment. 

“Effective leadership is crucial for the success of any organization, especially when considering the unique challenges that the growth in remote work presents to businesses,” said Franck Gaillard, Global Learning Director at Alstom. “By partnering with Coursera to deliver the right leadership training to managers across the company, remote teams can feel more supported and engaged, leading to increased productivity and collaboration.”

Pernod Ricard, a global leader in wine and spirits, continues strengthening the culture of learning within the organization and is collaborating with Coursera to help employees develop a range of business, data, and technology skills. With more than 2,500 employees enrolled in courses, leadership and management is the most frequently acquired skill by its learners.

“Interest in leadership training is growing, as our employees recognize that having these critical skills can strengthen their personal and professional growth, and unlock new opportunities at every stage of their career,” said Albena Trifonova, Director of Pernod Ricard University. “Our goal is to provide equitable access to learning for all employees. Coursera’s high-quality content, and ability to integrate with our existing learning management system makes them an ideal partner and an important component of our holistic approach to learning & development.”

Jindal Steel and Power, a leading Indian conglomerate with a dominant presence in steel, mining and infrastructure, is partnering with Coursera to enhance employee’s leadership skills and help them guide the business through unforeseen challenges. A key focus of this program is providing employees with content that strengthens their ability to lead themselves, teams, and larger organizations.

“As our industry evolves, we recognize that the leadership skills and qualities needed in today’s business environment are also changing,” said senior leadership at Jindal Steel and Power. “We are placing more emphasis on building emotionally resilient, calm and compassionate leaders that thrive under pressure and will help the business navigate uncertainty. The breadth of Coursera’s leadership and human skills content helps create a clear leadership development path that aligns to our vision.”

Leadership content on the Coursera for Business platform is created by leading university and industry partners. Some of the top rated leadership courses include:

Coursera launched its Leadership Academy offering in August 2021, which featured development in over 35 skill areas, from feedback and coaching to storytelling and decision making. We recently released a new Leadership Academy promotional offering for customers looking for a lower cost, stackable leadership solution that can scale quickly and effectively. The new offering provides organizations with a slice of the entire leadership catalog including a curated selection of 11,000 short videos, 500 leadership courses, and 70 Guided Projects from world-class companies and insitutitions.

There is a growing sense of urgency within businesses around providing high-quality leadership training. We look forward to continued collaboration with our customers to help employees at all levels develop the new, job-relevant skills needed to become successful leaders in the modern workplace. 
For more information on Leadership Academy, visit:

Announcing the first entry-level certificates and Specializations from Indian industry partners, PwC India, Tally Education, and Hero Mindmine

By Betty Vandenbosch, Chief Content Officer, Coursera 

Today, as part of Coursera’s ongoing commitment to learners in India, I’m pleased to announce the first entry-level certificates and Specializations from leading Indian industry partners. Experts at PwC India, Tally Education, and Hero Mindmine will equip learners with job-relevant skills in taxation, accounting, insurance, and power systems.

These programs will serve the 16 million people in India on Coursera eager to learn from industry experts. Learners in India have enrolled in twice as many courses from industry partners in Q1 2022 as the same period the year prior. Demand is increasingly driven by students and employees who gain access to Coursera through their university or workplace, accounting for 32% of these enrollments. 

First entry-level certificates from Indian industry partners, PwC India and Tally Education

These new entry-level certificates require no prerequisites, college degree, or prior work experience and prepare learners for high-demand finance roles.

  • GST Tax Executive and Direct Tax Executive Professional Certificates from PwC India – These entry-level, 6-course certificates will take roughly 24 weeks to complete. Through hands-on projects and expert-led instruction, they provide learners with a foundational understanding of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Direct Tax practices, equipping them with the knowledge required for a beginner role in the field. Expected to launch in September 2022 and early 2023.

“Following the government’s introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) a few years ago, demand for finance professionals with GST-specific knowledge has grown. Through digitally enabled content, we’re eager to help prepare learners of all backgrounds to step into one of the thousands of tax-related roles in India and, in turn, enable organizations to operate more smoothly and compliantly,” said Manpreet Singh Ahuja, Chief Digital Officer, PwC in India.

  • Tally Business Accounting Professional Certificate from Tally Education – In about 120 hours, this certificate helps learners prepare for a business accounting role, a field in considerable need of skilled talent. It will help learners understand and apply concepts of bookkeeping, accounting, inventory management, tax, and more. According to Gartner, there were approximately 30,000 accounting job postings in India over the last year. Expected to launch in September 2022. 

“Tally Education’s motto is “To positively impact the lives of ‘Learners’ by increasing employability, accelerating professional careers, and adding value to the businesses they operate.” Organizations of all sizes and sectors need skilled business accounting professionals. In collaboration with Coursera, Tally is excited to offer both the learning content and hiring pathways to help learners globally in advancing their career in the domain of accounting, finance, and administration,” said Bhuwaneshwari B, CEO of Tally Education.

First Specialization from Indian industry partner – Hero Mindmine

Through a series of rigorous courses, Specializations help learners master a specific skill within three to six months. 

  • Insurance Selling Specialization from Hero Mindmine – This four-course Specialization will cover the foundations of the insurance industry, different types of insurance, and key tenets to being a successful insurance salesperson. Taught by industry experts and taking roughly 16 weeks to complete, it’s designed for aspiring and early-career insurance professionals. Launching later this year.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Coursera to teach learners, especially those early in their careers or new to the industry, the core competencies of insurance and selling insurance. Our subject matter experts will break down the essential aspects of the too-often overly-complex domain of insurance in a way that is accessible for learners of varied backgrounds and aptitudes,” said Vivek Sharma, AVP & Head- Enterprise Business at Hero Mindmine.

We are honored to partner with leading companies in India to share their expertise with the world and help learners break into high-demand digital roles — regardless of their background. Programs like these help increase access and can lead to a diversification of the talent pipeline. I’m eager to see these new programs educate learners in India and beyond.