In today’s digital age, online learning has become one of the most powerful ways to gain knowledge, improve skills, and build a successful career. Whether you want to learn digital marketing, graphic design, coding, business management, or artificial intelligence, there are countless platforms available online. The good news is that many of these platforms provide high-quality education completely free of cost. That is why people around the world are constantly searching for the top websites offering free online courses to upgrade their knowledge without spending money.
Monday, May 11, 2026
Courageous conversations: How to lead with heart - McKinsey
Leadership, at its best, is a matter of the heart. Courage, which underpins every act of leadership, is also a matter of the heart; it comes from the French word cœur—heart. As Winston Churchill observed, “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because . . . it is the quality which guarantees all others.” The point is simple: Courage is both moral and practical. It is not sentiment or bravado. It is the willingness to face what is real, invite challenge, and repair trust. The story of every great leader—from business to the arts, from education to government to sport—is written in these moments of choice: Do I accept the comfortable, or do I ask for and embrace the truth? Do I protect myself, or do I serve the enterprise?
UPDATE: Canvas restored at U of I, final exams rescheduled - Ethan Holesha, Molly Sweeney, Bradley Zimmerman, WCIA
Canvas has been restored at the University of Illinois and the final exams that have already been affected by it are being rescheduled. In a Massmail to students and staff on Saturday at 11:51 a.m., U of I provost John Coleman said Canvas at the university is now online and available to the community. As a result, final ecams originally scheduled for Friday, May 8, will take place on Sunday, May 10. All exam times and locations will remain unchanged from their originally scheduled time. PREVIOUSLY: U of I finals postponed, students confused after Canvas cybersecurity breach Coleman also said as always, instructors will still have the discretion to make the changes they find appropriate to meet course objectives. He noted that deans have asked all instructors to be mindful of the needs of students with an approved accommodation through DRES.
Friday, May 8, 2026
Mountain View-based Khan Academy partners with nonprofits to build online AI degree program - Emma Montalbano, Moutain View Voice
Amid emerging conversations about the future of white collar jobs in the age of artificial intelligence, Sal Khan thinks that now is the time to create something he’s been thinking about for years — a new pathway for higher education. Khan Academy, an online learning platform headquartered in Mountain View, TED, a nonprofit that aims to uplift ideas, and ETS, an organization that develops and administers standardized tests, have partnered to establish an online college called Khan TED Institute. Its inaugural program will allow students to earn a bachelor’s of science degree in applied AI, which Khan believes could benefit people interested in many careers.
Teach students to ask better questions with Artificial Intelligence - Yiming V. Wang & Christoph Heubeck, Nature
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has entered university classrooms at a remarkable speed, challenging not only how students learn but also how teachers can tell where thinking is happening1,2,3. AI use shows more than rapid adaptation to a new tool: it also exposes how academic training has long shaped the questions students ask. Conventionally, many questions are framed to elicit coherence rather than conflict, synthesis rather than uncertainty, for example: “Summarise the state of knowledge …”, “Explain the mechanisms of…”. Put to an AI system, the responses often smooth disagreement and blur the limits of evidence4,5. The challenge in AI use is therefore not how far students should rely on AI but whether universities can help them ask questions that expose uncertainty rather than conceal it. We call this approach “grounded inquiry”, which we define as using AI to expose disagreements and weak support, trace claims to evidence, and make uncertainty apparent within a curated set of primary literature sources. We find that this approach helps Earth science students to think more independently and critically.
Faculty Concerned About ASU’s ‘Frankensteinian’ AI Course Builder - Emma Whitford, Inside Higher Ed
Arizona State University soft launched a web app earlier this month that allows anyone, for $5 per month, to create an apparently unlimited number of customized “learning modules” using artificial intelligence. The AI chatbot, called Atom, uses online instructional materials from ASU professors to create a course that’s tailored to the goals, interests and skill level of the user. After asking a handful of questions and processing for about five minutes, Atom debuts a personalized course that includes readings, quizzes and videos from a half dozen experts at ASU. But several professors whose content Atom pulls from were surprised to learn that their materials—including video lectures, slide decks and online assignments—were being perused, clipped and repackaged for these short online course modules. The faculty wasn’t told anything about the app, ASU Atomic, they said.
Thursday, May 7, 2026
State lawmakers eye accreditation policy changes as new agency forms - Daniele McClean, Higher Ed Dive
A growing number of Republican-controlled states have introduced legislative and policy proposals that would allow their public colleges to leave their long-standing accreditors for a newly founded accrediting body. The Commission for Public Higher Education, a nascent accrediting body, is moving to potentially take on those and other public institutions as members. The CPHE is financially backed by the state of Florida and the Trump administration and overseen largely by state university system appointees, a model that’s raised alarms among some critics. Recent state legislation has aimed to make it easier for colleges to move to CPHE or other accreditors.
Teach students to ask better questions with Artificial Intelligence - Yiming V. Wang & Christoph Heubeck, Nature
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has entered university classrooms at a remarkable speed, challenging not only how students learn but also how teachers can tell where thinking is happening1,2,3. AI use shows more than rapid adaptation to a new tool: it also exposes how academic training has long shaped the questions students ask. Conventionally, many questions are framed to elicit coherence rather than conflict, synthesis rather than uncertainty, for example: “Summarise the state of knowledge …”, “Explain the mechanisms of…”. Put to an AI system, the responses often smooth disagreement and blur the limits of evidence4,5. The challenge in AI use is therefore not how far students should rely on AI but whether universities can help them ask questions that expose uncertainty rather than conceal it. We call this approach “grounded inquiry”, which we define as using AI to expose disagreements and weak support, trace claims to evidence, and make uncertainty apparent within a curated set of primary literature sources. We find that this approach helps Earth science students to think more independently and critically.
The Impact of AI on Engineering Jobs - Intuit Blog
Artificial intelligence has become fundamental enough to shift traditional engineering roles, changing how engineers work and the work itself. 88% of organizations now use AI in at least one business function. Engineers are using AI to tackle complex real-world problems, with applications spanning predictive maintenance, design optimization, and automation. AI’s impact on engineering is just beginning. But it’s already creating new job opportunities and demanding new skills to stay relevant. AI likely won’t replace engineers, but it will affect some roles more than others. That makes adaptability 1 of the most valuable traits in the field right now.
Board Ouster Raises Further Concerns About NSF’s Future - Ryan Quinn, Inside Higher Ed
The Trump administration’s decision to fire the entire board that oversees the National Science Foundation is another blow to American science that threatens the country’s global leadership, multiple higher ed and research advocacy groups warned, as did ousted board members. They added that the move could further destabilize the agency, which is a major university research funding agency, and could give the White House more control over NSF. The White House didn’t initially tell board members or the public why it gutted the board, but in an email Monday to Inside Higher Ed, the White House pointed to a 2021 Supreme Court decision. The court’s reasoning in U.S. v. Arthrex “raised constitutional questions about whether non-Senate confirmed appointees can exercise the authorities that Congress gave the National Science Board.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
How should universities define AI proficiency? - Junghwan Kim, Inside Higher Ed
But what does “AI readiness” mean? I began reframing that question after attending a global technology gathering of 148,000 attendees and more than 4,000 companies in Las Vegas this January. At CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2026, leaders from Nvidia, AMD and OpenAI described the future of AI. I saw robots playing table tennis and AI systems embedded in everything from mobility platforms to health devices. One idea stood out. Three essential components for AI success: A keynote speaker, Roland Busch, president and CEO of Siemens AG, described three essential components for success in the AI era: technology, domain know-how and partnerships. That framework has reshaped how I think about AI proficiency – and how I design my courses.
East Carolina University plans to cut 44 academic programs - Ben Unglesbee, Higher Ed Dive
East Carolina University plans to discontinue 44 undergraduate and graduate programs “that aren’t meeting expectations” after an internal review of its portfolio, the public institution said Friday in a news release. ECU has teach-out plans for students enrolled in the programs slated for closure, senior leaders said last week in a community memo. The university also plans to consolidate several institutional units, including merging two of its health colleges into one. The cuts and consolidations are part of ECU’s push to eliminate $25 million in expenses, or about 2% of its budget. So far, officials have targeted $6.2 million in cuts, the university said last week.
College students are changing course in search of ‘AI-proof’ majors. But no one knows what they are - JOCELYN GECKER and LINLEY SANDERS, Associated Press
Two years ago, Josephine Timperman arrived at college with a plan. She declared a major in business analytics, figuring she’d learn niche skills that would stand out on a resume and help land a good job after college. But the rise of artificial intelligence has scrambled those calculations. The basic skills she was learning in things like statistical analysis and coding can now easily be automated. “Everyone has a fear that entry-level jobs will be taken by AI,” said the 20-year-old at Miami University in Ohio. A few weeks ago, Timperman switched her major to marketing. Her new strategy is to use her undergraduate studies to build critical thinking and interpersonal skills — areas where humans still have an edge.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
How AI is Reshaping the Future of Work - Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how work happens. It is changing daily workflows, influencing how teams make decisions, and pushing leaders to rethink how organizations are structured. As with any major shift, the impact depends less on the technology itself and more on the conditions leaders create around it. As AI becomes more common across industries, the future of work will depend on leaders who can integrate these tools responsibly. AI introduces new capabilities, but leadership determines how they are applied.
Penn State launches AI literacy course for employees - EdScoop
The AI Essentials training program is designed to provide "the knowledge, skills and ethical grounding" needed to use AI responsibly. “By organizing the course into modules focused on technical knowledge, ethical awareness, critical thinking and practical application, we are empowering students, faculty and staff to engage with AI as informed, responsible participants both within the University and beyond,” Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos said in the announcement. “By aligning our AI literacy programming with the release of a new enterprise service, we are positioning Penn State at the forefront of institutions embedding comprehensive AI literacy into the undergraduate experience and in preparing our community to lead thoughtfully in an evolving technological landscape. I want to thank the AI Coordinating Council for their ongoing leadership and the instructional designers who developed this curriculum, with the support of subject matter experts, for our community.”
Michigan State, University of Michigan face over 60% cut under state funding bill - Ben Unglesbee, Higher Ed Dive
Michigan lawmakers are mulling huge cuts — over 60% of operational funding — for the state’s two largest universities, according to a legislative analysis of a measure that advanced in the Republican-led House on Wednesday. An appropriations bill originally passed by the House’s higher education subcommittee last week would gut funding for Michigan State University by $208.9 million and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor by $233.4 million.. The House’s appropriations committee on Wednesday included the plan in a larger budget bill that it sent for floor consideration.
Monday, May 4, 2026
Universities urged to prepare students for AI‑driven economy - Jamaica Gleaner
A pointed warning about the future of work and education took centre stage as the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM), UWI, Mona brought together leaders from academia and industry to confront a pressing question: is the Caribbean truly ready for the age of artificial intelligence? At the recent George Willie Lecture Series, David Marchick, Dean of the Kogod School of Business at American University, delivered a forceful address urging universities to rethink how they prepare students for a rapidly evolving, AI-driven global economy. Speaking on “AI in Higher Education: Strategies for Producing AI-Ready Graduates”, Marchick argued that the implications of artificial intelligence extend far beyond technology programmes. “AI is going to change everything – how we work, how we learn, how we interact. It won’t replace human talent, but those who understand AI will have a clear advantage. Our responsibility is to ensure every graduate is AI fluent, regardless of discipline.”
4 higher education leaders on AI’s biggest benefits and risks - Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive
Artificial intelligence is rapidly progressing and poised to reshape the workforce in the near future. The higher education sector is in a unique position, as both an employer of millions of workers and a system that prepares students for the labor force. At the annual ASU+GSV Summit last week, four college leaders talked to Higher Ed Dive to weigh in on two questions: What about AI’s use in higher education are you most excited for? And what has you most concerned?
Research cuts are now having a chilling effect on academia - Alcino Donadel, University Business
Some experts see early and dire consequences for the science and education research community. “We’ve been hearing about the cuts coming down, but this spring, you’re really starting to see the effects,” says Chenjerai Kumanyika, assistant professor at New York University and council member for the American Association of University Professors. In February, Congress passed a fiscal year 2026 spending package that rejected Trump’s proposed 40% cuts to the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Energy. While the agencies saw most of their budgets restored, the Trump administration has stalled in releasing the funds.As of March 24, the NIH has only awarded 15% of its nearly $40 billion budget in academic research to institutions, according to a report from the Association of Medical Colleges.
Friday, May 1, 2026
YouTube expands its AI likeness detection technology to celebrities - Sarah Perez, TechCrunch
YouTube is expanding its new “likeness detection” technology, which identifies AI-generated content, such as deepfakes, to people within the entertainment industry, the company announced on Tuesday. The technology works similarly to YouTube’s existing Content ID system, which detects copyright-protected material in users’ uploaded videos, allowing rights owners to request removal or share in the video’s revenue. Likeness detection does the same, but for simulated faces. The feature is meant to help protect creators and other public figures from having their identities used without their permission — a common problem for celebrities who find their likenesses have been used in scam advertisements.
College Students Are More Polarized Than Ever. Can AI Help? - Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed
Over the past few years, higher education institutions have adopted emerging artificial intelligence tools in an effort to enhance nearly every aspect of campus life—not just teaching and learning but also admissions, alumni networks, fundraising and advising. Now some are even experimenting with AI’s ability to advance one of the hottest trends on college campuses: fostering constructive dialogue among students, who are more divided over politics now than at any point in the past 40 years. To help bridge those divides, colleges are increasingly partnering with organizations aimed at promoting civil dialogue, including Braver Angels, BridgeUSA, the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, and the Constructive Dialogue Institute. And lately, AI is becoming part of the conversation.
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