A leading centre for AI education will open up to the world, as Imperial launches its first Massive Open Online Courses with Coursera.

We are proudly leading the way with these truly accessible online courses Professor Simone Buitendijk Vice-Provost for Education

The move allows anyone with an internet connection to learn from some of the world’s top researchers in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and mathematics.

The set of three online courses – Mathematics for Machine Learning – is fully accessible across the world and will support learners in developing their mathematical skills and intuition so they can understand the complex principles underpinning AI and apply them in their future jobs

Professor Alice Gast, President of Imperial, said: “AI has the potential to transform many sectors. It is wonderful to have world-leading Imperial experts providing this opportunity to such a broad audience.  Many will benefit from this exciting curriculum on the machine learning and mathematics underpinning the rapid advances in AI.”

Impacting daily lives

The launch coincides with a boom in AI technology impacting daily lives - from the way we diagnose and treat cancer to the security of online transactions. The UK Government forecasts GDP could be 10% higher by 2030 as a result of AI, and data scientists are some of the most highly sought-after professionals globally.

Professor Simone Buitendijk, the College’s Vice-Provost for Education, underlines the need to act now: “As a globally connected university, Imperial is keenly aware that we must play our part in teaching Machine Learning courses that provide learners, whether they are College students or not, with a compelling impetus to become the AI experts of the future.

"We are proudly leading the way with these truly accessible online courses, designed to provide learners with a certification in this specialised field.”

Imperial's ambition to transform learning and teaching

Students’ expectations of their educational experience are changing, and institutions such as Imperial are transforming the way they teach to match this. Through its new Learning & Teaching Strategy Imperial is harnessing and creating new interactive learning tools to allow teachers to approach their work in new ways.

Gideon Shimshon, Director of the College’s Digital Learning Hub, said: “This course is an example of Imperial’s ambition is to transform the way we teach and learn. This set of courses will involve experts from across the fields of Material Sciences, Design Engineering, Computer Engineering and Physics.”

The series of courses is taught by Professor David Dye, Dr Sam Cooper, Dr Marc Deisenroth and Dr Freddie Page. The courses cover fundamental skills, such as linear algebra, vector calculus, and analytic geometry, which are all key ingredients for many machine learning algorithms that power artificial intelligence.

Dr Deisenroth said: "Machine learning can be considered the engine of modern Artificial Intelligence - it actually provides the underlying technology that drives AI."

Online education platform Coursera has partnered with 160 of the world’s top universities and industry leaders, and is inspiring 30 million registered learners around the world to achieve their career, educational, and personal goals.

Deanna Raineri, Coursera’s Chief Academic Officer, said: “The world faces massive shortages in critical job skills that will only worsen if we don’t create new ways for people to quickly and affordably learn these skills. Coursera is thrilled to welcome its newest partner Imperial College London, a leading education institution, to help it address the world’s growing demand for high quality education throughout their lives and careers.”