Benjamin Franklin said “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest” as it’s an investment in your own human capital, an addition to your personal value, another brick in your personal identity and a wider perspective gained from further knowledge. Jim Rohn once said, “formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.”
There can really be no better tool for personal development and upskilling within your industry than self-education. Luckily for all of us, living in a time of pandemic, the world of online courses has completely erupted into a plethora of choices including free courses, paid courses and courses from the world’s best institutions. With this world of choice, it does become quite a task to weed out the lesser quality providers and asking questions to instructors before diving into a commitment of your time, energy and potentially money.
In the interest of personal investment, here are some of the highest rated online courses of all-time from top universities around the world, as pooled by ClassCentral.com:
FREE
6 weeks long
Self-paced
This course, is based on the award-winning class offered both at the Indian School of Business and at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. The course draws content from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural decision theory to offer a tested and practical recipe for leading a life of happiness and fulfillment. If we were all able to identify what makes our lives happy and fulfilling, we’d be better for it.
FREE
12 weeks long
Flexible deadlines
The title of this course might sound slightly combative but in dealings of life, work and relationships, we need to be able to apply reasoning and critical thinking. If you are trying to deliver a project at work, get your ideas across well in meetings or even make your point in a discussion with your partner, you’ll need to know how to construct an argument. This course from Duke University enables you to recognise, re-construct and evaluate arguments.
FREE / or $135 AUD with certificate
6 Weeks
Self-paced
This course from the Technical University of Munich provides a “customer-centric methodology that improves processes by eliminating waste and focusing on value-added tasks.” With a large following, the course aims to help you achieve increased productivity, quality and resource utilisation within your business.
FREE
10 weeks long
Self-paced
Y Combinator is an American seed-money start up accelerator that has been used to help launch companies such as Stripe, AirBnB, DoorDash, DropBox, Twitch and Reddit, to name a few. Along with a global community of founders, through this course you’ll learn the best lessons and advice on how to start a start up.
FREE
10 Weeks long
Self-paced
This course from Yale University includes a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and built more productive habits. The course aims to help you successfully incorporate wellness activities into your daily life by understanding the way our brains might trick us, the misconceptions about happiness and then starting to rewire your mind.
Beyond these well-regarded courses, there are also a variety of online resources for upskilling yourself within your own profession. From IT to management and creative writing, here are a few more spots to seek further learning:
- Google Digital Garage
- Facebook Blueprint
- LinkedIn Learning
- EdX or Coursera – For courses from prestigious universities and well-known institutions
- Plural Sight
Important: This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. Consider the appropriateness of the information in regard to your circumstances.
