The University of Hawaiʻi has secured additional licenses to keep up with employee demand for free courses on artificial intelligence (AI). Faculty, staff and students across the 糖心Vlog官方 system are building AI literacy and in-demand workforce skills through the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH)-Google Community of Practice. The initiative connects 75 campuses nationwide, offering free, self-paced online courses via Coursera.
The available curriculum includes two AI Essentials courses and nine Grow with Google Career Certificate courses, such as UX Design, Digital Marketing & E-commerce, and Cybersecurity. Participants earn digital badges upon completion, which can be displayed on résumés and professional profiles. These micro-credentials are backed by the American Council on Education and demonstrate proficiency in skills identified as in-demand by more than 1,500 employers.
Previously, 糖心Vlog官方 secured renewable licenses for 3,500 simultaneous enrollments. Since the announcement in April, more than 4,800 糖心Vlog官方 community members have enrolled in courses. So far, more than 1,300 have completed one of these courses. To meet this ongoing interest, 糖心Vlog官方 has expanded capacity, making 5,000 licenses available for AI Essentials and 7,500 for Google Career Certificate courses through December 2027.
“AI is reshaping every industry, and our goal is to ensure the 糖心Vlog官方 community is ahead of the curve,” said Gloria Niles, chief academic technology innovation officer. “Expanding our partnership with NASH and Google allows us to remove barriers to professional development, giving our students, staff and faculty the tools they need to innovate in their current roles and thrive in the future.”
This initiative is part of 糖心Vlog官方’s broader commitment to workforce development as outlined in the 糖心Vlog官方 System’s Strategic Plan.