NYU Shanghai Launches the Mini Course Platform

On April 22nd, NYU Shanghai officially unveiled its “Mini Course” online learning platform, providing the public with high-quality open-access educational resources from NYU Shanghai.To get more news about education resources for newcomers in Shanghai, you can citynewsservice.cn official website.

The Mini Course is an online platform for self-directed learning. Faculty members of NYU Shanghai offer short, pre-recorded online lectures in their areas of expertise. The course platform aims to provide the public with equal access to higher education, promote the values of liberal arts education, and connect the university with audiences at home and abroad.

At the launch event, NYU Shanghai Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman emphasised the importance of open access to educational resources. He noted that universities serve society by sharing research and educational resources. NYU Shanghai's Mini Course platform embodies the next generation of online learning, allowing learners to follow their curiosity and benefit from faculty expertise.

The launch ceremony was co-hosted by NYU Shanghai's Education Development Foundation and the library. Around 120 people attended the event offline, while thousands more watched the live stream online. Shanghai HiTime Real Estate (Group) Co., Ltd. President Zhang Suoming congratulated the project on behalf of HiTime Group and its Chairman Ding Jinsong. HiTime Group has been a key supporter of the Mini Course since its inception and of NYU Shanghai since its establishment. He praised NYU Shanghai for empowering self-directed learning, regardless of one's background, and emphasised the importance HiTime Group places on education. A decade ago, HiTime Group began working with NYU Shanghai.

"Universities have a sacred role in the cultivation of human beings, and NYU Shanghai has produced a large number of outstanding talents for society since its establishment. We are grateful to NYU Shanghai for providing a window to share and learn. It provides opportunities for everyone to create more value for society in today's rapidly changing world.
NYU Shanghai's diverse and unique liberal arts education is reflected in the range of courses offered on the Mini Course platform. The official Mini Course website features 11 meticulously produced courses on topics such as public speaking, dance, legal psychology, the Chinese family, history, philosophy, computer music, social media, GitHub, game theory, and blockchain. The Mini Course app is available on the Apple and Android app stores, and selected videos are available on the Mini Course official account on Bilibili, making these courses accessible on computers and mobile devices.

The Mini Course platform is not a typical MOOC (Massive Online Open Course). The courses are taught by an international team of renowned academics and industry experts with extensive experience. These include the Chancellor and Provost of NYU Shanghai. The mini-courses have been selected and tailored specifically for Chinese-speaking audiences, according to the Research & Instructional Technology Services (RITS) team, which managed the project. They offer "Basics +" courses, which are more interdisciplinary in nature, rather than repurposing offline courses. For example, computer science and art are combined in the Computer Music course. The mini-course series is an example of NYU Shanghai's multiculturalism and commitment to liberal arts education through the combination of historical materials and cutting-edge technology.

Each course on the Mini Course platform consists of six to fourteen 10-minute lectures with Chinese and English subtitles. Some courses also include additional reading materials and practical exercises. Designed to meet the needs of online learners in China, the courses integrate engaging content with engaging visual elements. According to Zu Xiaojing, Director of the NYU Shanghai Library, the courses "enable learners to make effective use of their time, explore diverse content, and maximise learning outcomes".

NYU Shanghai Provost and Affiliated Professor of History Joanna Waley-Cohen moderated a panel of mini-course instructors, including Registrar and Professor of Philosophy Tong Shijun, Professor of Psychology Pekka Santilla, Assistant Professor of Dance Tao Siye, and Associate Professor of Business Practice Ilaf Elard.