SEEK spends up on MOOC providers

The on-line provider diversifies into disruptors

On-line job search and education provider SEEK continues expanding, taking shares in two major MOOC providers. The company has taken a 50 per cent share in UK based Future Learn for $A92m and what it describes as a “minority” share in Coursera for $A50m. Last year SEEK and partner Swinburne University expanded their Online Education Services into the UK, (CMM May 22 2018).

The Coursera buy appears intended to give SEEK a piece of main MOOC market action, the provider has 40m users over 3000 plus courses from 150 universities. However, the FutureLearn move is about creating content and growing the on-line education and training market with SEEK’s investment being used to, “grow a number of new courses linked to employment outcomes, online marketing, initiatives to grow the student experience and overall retention.”

“FutureLearn is a unique opportunity to build a global market leader and if we execute well the long-term upside is significant.” CMM wonders whether this will include micro-courses, designed to teach a precise skill on-line – SEEK partner Swinburne U is already active in the space (CMM April 1). If so it will not be long until SEEK buys or builds a credentialing capacity, that provides people with digital badges that document learning.


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