The University of Sheffield is closing its partnership with FutureLearn, according to Dave Holloway, Sheffield’s Senior Digital Learning Advisor, bringing an end to over a decade of producing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that reached more than 1.5 million learners worldwide.
Holloway says the university’s profile on the UK-based platform will close at the end of August 2025, with some courses disappearing permanently while others may be repurposed for students or alternative public engagement formats. However, while writing this article today (early September), I was able to enroll in several Sheffield MOOCs. I hope they stay open long enough for me to finish them!
Sheffield entered the MOOC market in 2014 during the height of enthusiasm for online education, partnering with FutureLearn to offer free courses with optional paid upgrades. The initiative produced 21 courses across diverse subjects, from forensic anatomy and robotics to English literature and exploring play. Discover Dentistry, created by Professor Chris Stokes to support widening participation applicants, became the university’s most successful course.
“COVID saw our enrolment numbers soar to over 150,000 a year. At our peak, the review website Class Central reported that the University of Sheffield had produced 9 of the best online courses ever, beating the likes of MIT and Harvard (and, I am happy to report, those courses still appear in the Best Online Courses of All Time list).” – Dave Holloway
Holloway, who worked on the program throughout its duration, cited changing business models and sustainability concerns as factors in the decision. “MOOCs have likely had their time in the sun,” he said, noting how the technology followed a classic hype cycle from inflated expectations to seeking sustainable reality.
Despite the closure, Holloway emphasized the personal impact of the courses, sharing stories of learners who changed careers, released albums, and even helped domestic violence victims based on course content. “Education doesn’t just have to be about qualifications,” he reflected.
The end of Sheffield’s MOOC program reflects broader shifts in online education as institutions reassess the sustainability and effectiveness of massive open online courses that once promised to revolutionize learning accessibility. Several providers have struggled financially, implemented layoffs, or changed their leadership and business structure or model in recent times.
The post University of Sheffield Ends 11-Year Partnership with FutureLearn appeared first on The Report by Class Central.
