O.P Jindal Global University (JGU) announced three online university masters’ degree programmes on the Coursera platform at the annual Coursera Conference on April 19. The new programmes include Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics, Master of Arts in International Relations, Security and Strategy, and Master of Arts in Public Policy.

Within 11 years of establishment, JGU has been ranked in the top 651-700 universities in the world and has become India’s number 1 ranked Private University. JGU is also India’s top-ranking university with a focus solely on Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities as per the influential QS World University Rankings 2021. Last year, JGU was conferred the status of an “Institution of Eminence” by the Government of India. In these rankings, JGU vastly improved its position to become the only Institution of Eminence (IoE) in India to show a significant climb out of the 18 IoE’s that have been selected.

The Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics on Coursera is being developed by the Jindal Global Business School. This specialized MBA program teaches business professionals how to apply data analytics and data science to identify and solve business problems — preparing them for strategic, managerial, and analyst roles.

The Master of Arts in Public Policy is offered by the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, and is the first Master’s in Public Policy offered on Coursera. The MA in Public Policy prepares students for leading policy and civil service positions by teaching them to analyse policy, explore real-world policymaking first-hand, and enhance managerial skills.

The Master of Arts in International Relations, Security and Strategy is offered by the Jindal School of International Affairs, and is also a first of its kind offered on Coursera. The MA in International Relations, Security and Strategy program teaches diplomacy, conflict resolution, ethics, and intelligence analysis to help students develop a holistic approach to international affairs.

The Founding Vice-Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (Professor) Dr. C. Raj Kumar, said, “With the exciting announcement of three online masters’ degree programmes by O.P. Jindal Global University, we aim to provide knowledge in the fields of business, public policy and international relations and deliver a transformational, personalised online learning experience through our partnership with Coursera. This is in line with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020 and in fulfillment of the policy impetus of the Government of India to provide greater access to education using technology and innovation. We will also be promoting access to education to a wide range of learners through the Coursera platform that will also help us to fulfill the mission of being an ‘Institution of Eminence’ contributing towards democratisation of knowledge and education. In this regard, we established the Office of Academic Innovation and the Centre for Online Education. JGU will now offer both on-campus programmes for students pursuing education within a campus ecosystem through physical and in-person learning experiences, as well as online degree programmes on Coursera for working professionals and other students from India and around the world who will be receiving education through virtual learning experiences.”

“We are excited to partner with JGU to launch the first degrees from an Indian university on Coursera, providing greater access to higher education,” said Betty Vandenbosch, Chief Content Officer at Coursera. “Degrees can be the foundation for fulfilling careers, and through these new programs, students can earn a life-transforming credential online in a high-demand field.”

Professor Jeremy J. Wade, Director, Office of Academic Innovation JGU, said, “Online education must move beyond solely replicating the in-person classroom for an online format. Through this partnership with Coursera, we aim to deliver highly engaging, online-first content that provides a transformative learning experience to a wide range of students in India and around the world.”

With this partnership, JGU joins the ranks of 150 leading universities including Yale University, University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, and Imperial College of London that offer online content and credentials on Coursera. On Coursera, there are over 77 million learners across 190 countries who will now be able to apply to JGU’s degree programmes.

Coursera currently has a portfolio of online bachelor’s and master’s programs in business, computer science, data science, public health, and more. In addition to the JGU programs, Monday’s announcement included the announcement of a BSc in Marketing from the University of London and a Master of Business Administration from Fundação Instituto de Administração in Brazil.

Students can now apply for the MBA in Business Analytics, M.A. in International Relations, Security and Strategy, and M.A. in Public Policy for the September 2021 cohort.

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