GALWAY, IRELAND – 2025-10-17

Alison, one of the world’s largest free online learning and empowerment platforms, has announced a record-breaking 575,000 graduates in Q3 2025, underscoring its growing global impact on accessible education. Following strong growth earlier this year (510,000 graduates in Q1 and 525,000 in Q2), this milestone reflects the increasing demand for free, high-quality online learning that supports career advancement and lifelong skills development across 193 countries.

The surge in Alison’s graduate numbers highlights a global shift toward self-paced, flexible online learning. As individuals and organisations seek cost-effective ways to upskill, Alison continues to address a critical gap in global education access. The platform’s success demonstrates how open learning models are enabling millions to gain skills for today’s evolving job markets, particularly in fields such as IT, business management, healthcare, and sustainability.

Empowering through Education

In the third quarter of 2025 alone, Alison learners earned 575,000 Certificates and Diplomas across its 6,000 free CPD-accredited courses. This achievement builds on steady year-on-year growth, fuelled by enhanced multilingual content, expanded partnerships with global institutions such as IBM, Microsoft, and Stanford, and continuous investment in user experience, including improved mobile learning through the Alison App.

This milestone represents more than numbers, it reflects tangible impact. Alison’s Learners, many from underserved regions, are using free education to access new career opportunities, transition into emerging industries, and achieve personal empowerment. Employers also benefit from a growing pool of job-ready, self-motivated professionals, supported by Alison’s free LMS for workplace training and the upcoming global recruitment service that connects skilled Learners directly with hiring companies. The urgency could not be greater: worldwide unemployment remains around 5% as of 2024, yet youth unemployment soars to roughly 12% globally. At the same time, the global skills gap is forecast to cost more than US $8.5 trillion annually by 2030, with some estimates suggesting more than 50% of workers will need significant retraining within the next few years. 

"This record-breaking quarter reaffirms our mission: to make education a universal right, not a privilege," said Mike Feerick, CEO and Founder of Alison. "Every graduate represents a story of empowerment, perseverance, and opportunity. We’re proud to see millions around the world transforming their lives through free learning, and this is only the beginning."

Bridging the Global Skills Gap

Looking ahead, Alison is rapidly scaling its multilingual offerings, with a fully Spanish-language platform set to launch soon, reaffirming their role as a global leader in accessible learning. They are also developing a comprehensive global recruitment ecosystem, a powerful bridge aligning education with employment and enabling tens of millions to connect learning with livelihood. The vision remains bold, a world where anyone, anywhere, can learn, thrive and contribute, and by putting powerful tools in Learners’ hands, Alison is making that vision real.

Ends

For further information, contact the media team at [email protected].

About Alison

Alison is a global leader in free online learning and skills development. With over 50 million registered learners across 193 countries (as of October, 2025), Alison empowers individuals, communities, and organisations to upskill quickly and effectively — at zero cost.

The Alison platform provides immediate access to over 6,000 free, CPD-accredited courses, covering essential areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Project Management, Business Operations, Healthcare and Sustainability. Courses are created by a mix of independent experts and global leaders including IBM, Stanford and Microsoft.

For organisations, Alison offers a Free Learning Management System (LMS), enabling unlimited learners to access thousands of courses with no upfront cost. A premium version with advanced analytics and customisation is also available. Alison's offering includes a full suite of assessments and psychometric tools, including a Workforce Personality Assessment, Mental Health & Wellbeing, English Language Proficiency, Numeracy, Verbal and Abstract Reasoning tests.

To further support career development, learners also gain access to a Career Guide, Resumé Builder, and the ability to study offline through the Alison App.

In 2025, Alison is launching a Global Recruitment Service, connecting employers directly with skilled, motivated learners. The platform is also expanding its reach with multilingual versions, starting with full Spanish, French, and Hindi offerings — reaffirming its mission to make education accessible to anyone, anywhere.

Founded in 2007, Alison pioneered the concept of free, large-scale online learning and is recognised as the world’s first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platform. Today, its mission continues: to break down barriers to learning, helping people gain skills, build confidence, and improve their lives — no matter where they live or what they earn.

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