Free courses
Produced by The Open University, a world leader in open and distance learning, all OpenLearn courses are free to study. We offer nearly 1000 free courses across 9 different subject areas. Our courses are available to start right away.
- All topics
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level 1: introductory icon
Money & Business
Fundamentals of accounting
Learn about the essential numerical and double-entry skills required for accounting. This free course, Fundamentals of accounting, will explain the fundamental purpose and role of accounting as well as the double-entry rules that are the foundation of all financial records and reports in any modern business.
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level 2: intermediate icon
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Education & Development
The digital scholar
Digital scholarship is a shorthand for the intersection of three technology related developments: digital content, networked distribution and open practices. It is when digital, networked and open intersect that transformational practice occurs. In this free course, The digital scholar, you will explore the impact of digital technologies on ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Money & Business
First steps in innovation and entrepreneurship
This free course provides you with a short introduction to innovation and entrepreneurship, clarifying some key themes and terminology and helping you to examine your own views about these important subjects.
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level 3: advanced icon
Money & Business
Liquidity management
In this free course you will focus on liquidity management, one of the fundamental aspects relating to risk management that has come under intense scrutiny in the past few years.
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level 3: advanced icon
Money & Business
Discovering development management
Discovering development management is a free course that sets out to build up the basic capacities for managing the multiple challenges of development – any development. It rests on the assumption that management is a political and ethical process, a matter of the use of power to bring about desired goals in contexts characterised by conflicts ...
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level 3: advanced icon
Money & Business
Quantitative and qualitative research in finance
What are the key features of qualitative and quantitative research in finance? What do they involve in practical terms, and what they can produce? This free course, Quantitative and qualitative research in finance, explores the underpinning methodologies, then looks at how research data are produced and how they are analysed. The course also ...
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level 3: advanced icon
Money & Business
Understanding different research perspectives
This free course, Understanding different research perspectives, explores the development of the research process looking at the different perspectives from which an issue or phenomenon can be investigated; and highlights the main methodologies that can be used to investigate a business issue. By looking at different perspectives/approaches to ...
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level 3: advanced icon
Money & Business
Asset allocation in investment
This course looks at how to take investor objectives and constraints and turn them into a portfolio which aims at achieving an expected return and level of risk appropriate for the investor. In this free course, Asset allocation in investment, portfolio optimisation techniques such as portfolio theory can be used to determine how much of an ...
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level 1: introductory icon
Money & Business
Difference and challenge in teams
This free course looks at how teams ‘travel’ together on a journey of development. Those journeys are hardly ever smooth. The course encourages you to recognise difference and challenge amongst individuals in the team who are pulling in different directions. It will help you identify where such challenges can be embraced for the benefit of your ...
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level 1: introductory icon
Money & Business
Commercial awareness
This short course encourages you to look across your organisation, at your place within it and the value you create. It considers how getting different perspectives and widening existing ones within your organisation can enhance commercial awareness.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Money & Business
Developing high trust work relationships
Learn about trust in the organisational context. This free course, Developing high trust work relationships, introduces the concept of trust, what it means to you and how it may affect your organisation.
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level 1: introductory icon
Money & Business
Three principles of a coaching approach
This course provides a good sense for three of the core skills required of an effective coach. Whether or not you recognise the use of a 'coaching approach' in your workplace, you will be able to use the learning in the course to enhance your day-to-day interactions in your workplace.