# Prestigious Online University Courses The University of Oxford's MOOC is a Free Economics Course By Joey Haar | Published 2016-11-16 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/university-of-oxford References: [digitaltrends](http://www.digitaltrends.com/web/oxford-uni-mooc/?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds) & [edx.org](https://www.edx.org/course/poverty-prosperity-understanding-oxfordx-oxbsg01x?source=aw&awc=6798_1479311462_02e639f74684f2703be758aefcdc510d&utm_source=aw&utm_medium=affiliate_partner&utm_content=text-link&utm_term=78888_Skimlinks) The [University of Oxford](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rhodes-house) is the oldest continuously operating educational institution in the world, making it one of the most prestigious academies for study. In a move to better spread knowledge to all people, however, the University of Oxford is now offering a [Massive Open Online Course](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-great-discovery), or MOOC, in February of 2017. Oxford's new MOOC will offer [completely free enrollment](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heights-platform). However, this isn't to suggest that the study will be easy -- as one would expect from the historic university, the six-week course requires several hours of study each week. Fittingly, considering the implications of offering such a course, the MOOC is called 'From Poverty to Prosperity: Understanding Economic Development' and is run through the academy's economics department. It will be taught by Sir Paul Collier, a professor of economics and public policy. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 34% | Activity: 64% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Education](https://www.trendhunter.com/education) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Massive Open Online Courses:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing user-friendly platforms and technologies to make online learning more accessible and engaging for a global audience. - **Free Online Education:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating sustainable business models that offer high-quality education for free, while finding alternative revenue streams such as premium features, sponsorships, or partnerships. - **Economics Education:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Designing interactive and personalized online courses in economics to cater to diverse learning styles and foster deeper understanding of complex concepts. ### Who This Affects Most - **Edtech:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing advanced educational technologies and platforms that enhance the online learning experience and promote lifelong learning. - **Online Learning Platforms:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating intuitive and adaptive online learning platforms that leverage artificial intelligence and data analytics to optimize learning outcomes. - **Higher Education:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborating with prestigious universities to establish scalable online education programs that democratize access to high-quality education. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Curated Learning Pathways](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/notclass1.md) - [Cryptocurrency Course Payments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/course-payments.md) - [Complementary Financial Literacy Courses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/financial-literacy-course.md) - [Early Childhood Development Courses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/early-childhood-development.md) - [Educational Freelancer Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/online-learning-platform.md) - [AI-Professor Coding Courses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cs50.md) - [Elevated Collegiate Streetwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-campus-collection.md) - [Omnichannel-Focused University Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/omnichannel-leadership-program.md) - [Open Tech Learning Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/imaginary-hub.md)