Thomas A. Finholt, Dean, School of Information, University of Michigan

Jeff Maggioncalda, Chief Executive Officer of Coursera

Coursera, the University of Michigan School of Information, and the Center for Academic Innovation are responding to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak by offering students in China three of our most popular data science Specializations essentially free for students in that country.

UMSI has had a longstanding relationship with students, faculty and institutions in China. A substantial number of Chinese students choose to learn with the school as part of its residential degrees.  Some UMSI faculty received education or degrees in China, and some conduct research there. So 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.

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. We chose three of our most-popular Specializations, and we’re offering them for the next six months for $1 a month to students from China. Having a small charge associated with the account allows for verification of the certificate when the Specialization is completed.

The three Specializations are Python for Everybody, the most popular Specialization on Coursera; Python 3 Programming; and Applied Data Science with Python. Each includes all the features of the paid version of the Specializations, including UMSI faculty instructors and final certifications.

There are no additional charges, fees, or other costs involved for Chinese students. We wanted to make a valuable contribution to our scholarly colleagues from China during this difficult time. Learners in China can simply visit each Specialization page to enroll with the updated pricing.

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