University of the Philippines Diliman
NEXTGEN

UP Open University offering 44 self-paced online courses for free

Ann Jenireene Gomez

Looking to enhance your skills for free? The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is offering 44 Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) this year at no cost.

Announced in a Facebook post, UPOU’s programs include courses like “Identifying Red Flags,” “Creativity and Innovation,” “Artificial Intelligence,” and “Gender Sensitivity.” These courses are self-paced, open to all, and come with e-certificates upon completion, which can be used as 16-hour training credits in resumes.

Here’s the lineup of free courses for 2025:

January

  • Basics of Resilience

  • Hazard and Risk Assessment Fundamentals

  • Overview of Policies and Strategies for Climate and Disaster Resilience

February

  • Social Entrepreneurship

  • Principles of Graphic Design

  • Creativity and Innovation

March

  • Introduction to Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Strategic Planning in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Understanding the Child Better

  • Resilience Strategies Across the Four Pillars

  • Introduction to Biodiversity Mainstreaming and Approaches in the ASEAN Region

  • Strategies and Best Practices on Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Agriculture

  • Policy Development and Governance Supporting Agrobiodiversity

  • Al Essentials: Theory and Practice

April

  • Maging Mapanuring Botante at Mamamayan

  • Introduction to Technology for Teaching and Learning

  • Introductory Course on Contact Center Services

  • Quality Assurance in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Learner Support in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Legal Instruments for the Protection of Children

  • Scriptwriting for Educational Video Materials

  • Project Management

May

  • Technology in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Teaching and Learning with Modern ICTs

  • Business Analytics Concepts and Frameworks

  • Online Mother's Class on Newborn and Infant Care

June

  • Gender Sensitivity Training

  • Blended Teaching and Learning Using Open Educational Resources (OERS)

  • Institutional Mechanism Towards Child Rights Protection and Promotion

  • Creating Educational Materials Using PowToon

  • Identifying Red Flags

  • Al in Education: Teaching and Learning Strategies

July

  • Introduction to Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Strategic Planning in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Introduction to Technology for Teaching and Learning

  • Fundamentals of Marketing

  • E-Commerce Essentials: A beginner's Guide to Online Business

  • Introduction to Permaculture: The Ethics of Permaculture Design and Principles

August

  • Teaching and Learning with Modern ICTs

  • Planning Programs on Child Rights Protection and Promotion

  • Developing and Producing an Interactive Educational Video Material

  • Quality Assurance in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Learner Support in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

September

  • Technology in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

  • Blended Teaching and Learning Using Open Educational Resources (OERS)

  • Implementing and Evaluating Programs for Child Rights

October

  • Video Editing Using an Open-Source Video Editing Software

  • Business Concepts, Ideation, and the Business Plan

  • What Makes an Entrepreneur?

November

  • Understanding the Language of Business: Accounting Overview and Basic Financial Statements

  • Basic Leadership and Management Competencies in the Workplace

December

  • Rights of Nature

Since its establishment in 1995, UPOU has been a pioneer in online education, empowering Filipinos with skills for the 21st century. Interested learners can enroll through UPOU’s website at model.upou.edu.ph.

How to enroll in UP's free online classes

In their social media post outlining their course offerings, UPOU also walked readers through registering for classes.

First, aspiring online students need to sign up for a MODeL account by filling out this registration form. You'll then receive your log-in details from the university.

UP notes that accounts are created on Thursdays only, after a 4 PM cutoff on Wednesday afternoon. This means that if you sign up after this deadline, you'll have to wait until the following Thursday to receive your credentials. Remember to change your password for maximum security!

Once your account is set up, visit UPOU’s website to sign up for one of their free courses!