Galway, Ireland - November 2025

Alison, the world’s largest free online learning platform, announces a major global achievement: 50 million Learners and 15 million Graduates across 6,000+ CPD-accredited courses. Reaching audiences in 193 countries, this milestone underlines the growing global demand for free online education, flexible learning, and practical career skills, and advances Alison’s mission to make education accessible to everyone, everywhere.

These figures represent more than growth. They signal a global shift in how people access opportunity. Free, flexible, skills-based education has moved from the margins into the mainstream, giving those excluded from traditional systems a viable way to build employability. They also reflect millions of people choosing to strengthen their confidence, change careers, start businesses, and contribute new skills to their local economies. For employers grappling with persistent skills shortages, this scale demonstrates how open online learning can quickly develop motivated, job-ready talent at a time when upskilling is essential.

Ciaran Cannon, Alison’s VP of Global Affairs, highlighted the significance of the milestone:

“Fifty million Learners represent fifty million stories of ambition and possibility. By providing free, accredited learning at scale, we help people everywhere acquire the skills and confidence they need to secure a job, advance in their career, or launch a business. That, in turn, helps employers build stronger teams and helps communities unlock new levels of economic opportunity.

Education is humanity’s most powerful engine for equality and progress, and our goal is simple: what Alison does – free, flexible, skills-based learning – helps motivated people turn ambition into real, measurable outcomes in their lives and careers.”

As demand for free, skills-based learning grows, Alison continues to provide the infrastructure that removes barriers for individuals, educators, and employers.

Removing Barriers to Learning for All

Alison offers mobile-friendly, self-paced study, Offline Learning via the Alison App, and a full suite of career tools, including a Resumé Builder, Career Guide, Career Ready Plan, and Psychometric Testing. 

For individuals seeking to upskill or transition into a new career, Alison eliminates traditional barriers, including study fees, travel expenses, and stringent entry requirements, enabling them to quickly accumulate knowledge aligned with in-demand roles and enhance their employability.

For educators and subject-matter experts, Alison provides a global publishing platform to reach millions of Learners, build their professional brand, and monetise their expertise through greater visibility and impact.

For employers, Alison offers a Free LMS to design learning paths, train and assess staff, and keep skills up to date, strengthening workforce capability while significantly reducing learning and development costs.

Scaling Free Skills-Based Education Into New Languages, New Technologies, and New Career Pathways

Building on this milestone, Alison is expanding its multilingual offering, including a full Spanish-language version of the platform and additional languages to follow, extending access to millions more worldwide.

In the coming months, Alison will launch a Global Recruitment Service that will connect employers directly with skilled, motivated Learners, creating a clearer bridge between online learning and real employment opportunities.

Alongside this, Alison continues to grow its offering in Artificial Intelligence and other future-of-work topics through thousands of free, CPD-accredited courses. Across all of these developments, Alison’s roadmap remains focused on equitable access and tighter links between learning and employability, ensuring that millions more worldwide can access high-quality, skills-based education at no cost.

Ends

Resources

Explore Alison’s free courses to boost time management, focus, and decision-making. Download the Alison App for Android or iOS to access courses and receive reminders on your mobile device. For tips on building consistent online study routines, visit the Alison Blog.

Media contact

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) that enables 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, a Resumé Builder, and the ability to study offline through the Alison App.

In 2025, Alison is launching a Global Recruitment Service to connect 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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