Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Announces New Online Professional Short Courses and Extends Partnership with 2U, Inc.

New short courses and expansion of digital transformation partnership marks continued innovation across Saïd's portfolio of in-demand, market-relevant online business programs

News provided by

2U, Inc.

Aug 12, 2021, 09:00 ET

OXFORD, England and LANHAM, Md., Aug. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU), a global leader in education technology, and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, today officially announced the creation of six new GetSmarter professional short courses in high-demand, market-relevant business topics, from the 'future of real estate' to 'climate change emergency preparedness.' This expands the total number of Oxford Saïd's GetSmarter short courses to 18 since its partnership with 2U began in 2017, with at least one more expected to launch in the coming year. Also announced today is an extension of 2U and Oxford Saïd's partnership to the year 2024, marking a continued collaboration to offer a range of high-quality short courses in cutting-edge business topics.

The six courses, which began rolling out this spring and are currently open for enrollment, run six weeks and are designed to give learners around the world flexible, high-quality skills development programs. As with all GetSmarter short courses, these online programs will help professionals and leaders worldwide advance their careers and prepare for the many business challenges and opportunities ahead.

The courses officially announced today include:

"At Saïd Business School, our goal is to equip global leaders with the skills, perspectives, and background necessary to become truly dynamic leaders and shape a stronger, more equitable future," said Sue Dopson, interim dean and professor of organisational behaviour at Oxford Saïd. "Our expanded partnership with 2U to create and power these courses has been fundamental to meeting that goal, with more than 20,000 learners worldwide reached to date, and we look forward to educating even more professionals in these increasingly important and relevant business topics."

As companies and governments continue the fight against COVID-19 and prepare for the post-pandemic economy, business leaders will increasingly be called on to develop innovations, strategies, and solutions that not only protect shareholders but also position corporations, NGOs, and organizations as leaders in social, environmental, and economic equity. Gaining the skills to move quickly on these trends and execute on fast solutions will be imperative to success. In fact, according to a recent survey by McKinsey, many executives reported that, during the peak of COVID-19 they moved 20-25 times faster than they thought possible, indicating that great acceleration in the use of technology, digitization, and new forms of working will be the 'new normal' across industry sectors.

"Today's complex and challenging business environment demands that executives embrace new skills and knowledge in order to stay on the cutting-edge of industry trends, and we're honored to expand our partnership with Saïd Business School to help them deliver high-quality, online training to help professionals around the world meet their goals," said Andrew Hermalyn, president of global partnerships at 2U. "The launch of this expanded portfolio of short courses demonstrates Oxford Saïd's continued leadership in digital education and commitment to innovation, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with this world-class, global institution."

For more information on all 2U-powered short courses offered by Oxford Saïd, please visit https://www.getsmarter.com/universities/university-of-oxford.

About 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU)
Eliminating the back row in higher education is not just a metaphor—it's our mission. For more than a decade, 2U, Inc., a global leader in education technology, has been a trusted partner and brand steward of great universities. We build, deliver, and support more than 500 educational offerings, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, professional certificates, boot camps, and GetSmarter short courses. Together with our partners, 2U has positively transformed the lives of more than 300,000 students and lifelong learners. To learn more, visit 2U.com. #NoBackRow

Media Contact
Kate Welk, 2U, Inc.
[email protected]

About Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford blends the best of new and old. We are a vibrant and innovative business school, but deeply embedded in an 800-year-old world-class university. We create programmes and ideas that have global impact. We educate people for successful business careers, and as a community seek to tackle world-scale problems. We deliver cutting-edge programmes and ground-breaking research that transform individuals, organisations, business practice, and society. We are a world-class business school community, embedded in a world-class University, tackling world-scale problems. www.sbs.ox.ac.uk

For further information, and media requests, please email [email protected].

SOURCE 2U, Inc.