Afghan women get access to Reading online teaching

Thousands of women in Afghanistan, who are banned from attending university, are benefitting from free access to an online learning platform featuring courses created at Reading. 

FutureLearn offered free access to short courses on its site in December, following the Taliban’s decision to ban women from participating in higher education in Afghanistan, a decision that drew international condemnation. 

The free subscription offer to users in Afghanistan initially meant that 21 short courses designed by Reading academics, covering a range of topics, were among those made freely accessible to girls and women in the country with internet access. 

Up to 9 January, there had been a 700% increase in visits to the FutureLearn website by users in Afghanistan since the initiative was launched, with more than 2,100 new registrations and 1,800 course enrolments recorded. 

Courses on languages, business, healthcare, teaching and computer science are among those that have proved most popular with Afghan learners. Reading courses made available include guides to writing in English for academic study, a beginner’s guide to cardiovascular disease, and how to support young people with depression.  

International Day of Education 

Tuesday (24 January) was the UN’s International Day of Education. As well as being a leading place to study for students in the UK and abroad, Reading’s online courses provide an opportunity for learners all over the world to study a new subject or prepare for study in the UK remotely and flexibly. 

The courses do not assume English is the learners’ first language, making them ideal for users around the globe. 

Colleagues at Reading have also been engaging with the Department for Education since 2021 to enhance climate education for young people in the UK. Read more about this work on our Partnering for the Planet website.