Global Labour University

GLU Online Academy

Connecting activists and workers worldwide

The Global Labour University Online Academy (GLU Online Academy) offers decentralised, globally-connected learning spaces for workers and trade unionists. The online courses developed by labour academics and activists are combined with webinars and localized workshops, supported by a global team of certified trainers.

Thousands of participants from across the globe are connecting through these learning spaces in vibrant debates about social and environmental justice, workers' rights, political freedom and democracy. In addition, Online Academy has assembled a Global Team of Trainers and Tutors and Regional Teams of Trainers to support its model of online education. 

Founded in 2014, the GLU Online Academy remains a pioneer in online education for trade unionists and labour activists reaching a combined number of over 27,000 participants. Its online courses are also available in languages​​ other than English, including Bangla, French, Hindi, Khmer, Russian, Spanish, Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS), Turkish and Vietnamese.

The development of the online courses has benefited from the financial support of various organizations such as the ILO, FES, DGB-BW, GiZ, BMZ and ICDD.

Below you can find all of our available MOOCs, in many different languages. You can also visit our iversity page to see our offers and join a LinkedIn or Facebook group to keep up with the latest developments. 

Free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

When? You can attend these courses at any time and study at your own pace.

Where? Wherever you are, all you need is only an internet connection and an eagerness to learn more.

For Whom? Trade unionists, labour activists, labour educators, labour researchers, NGOs and everybody else interested in the topics.

Costs? All courses are free. Once you complete the course, you can obtain an official certificate and under specified requirements, a scholarship voucher for it. 

Subordination and Discrimination in GSCs: Recognizing Diversity and Building Unity

English

The course addresses subordination and structural discrimination in global supply chains, which are deeply embedded in their structure. 

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Regulating Global Supply Chains to Empower Workers

English

The course discusses key policy proposal for regulating global supply chains to empower workers and their organizations. 

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Just and Green: Labour‘s Ecological Question

English, Serbian, German, French, Spanish, and Vietnamese

The course explores different aspects of the 'jobs vs. environment dilemma' through a lens of current struggles, as well as academic and policy debates. 

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Challanging Corporate Power in Latin America

Spanish and Portugese

The course discusses key policy proposals to challenge corporate power in global supply chains in Latin America to empower workers and their organisations.

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Global Supply Chains in Times of Covid-19

English, Bangla, Khmer, Turkish, and Hindi

The course provides critical knowledge on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on workers in global supply chains and labour's response to protect workers. 

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Trade Unions in Transformation

English

The course provides knowledge and practical skills on the power resource approach and its use by trade unions and workers' organizations to exercise power in the changing world of work. 

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Post-Corona Starts Now

English

This course brings together academics, trade unionists, human and labour rights advocates and policymakers from around the world to discuss policy solutions to the most pressing issues exposed by Covid-19. 

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Towards Decent Work in Global Supply Chains

English and Spanish

This course helps you understand the main issues around labour and development in global supply chains and learn from successful policies and strategies to achieve work with dignity in supply chains. 

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Decent Work in Global Supply Chains

English

This course combines expertise from the world of work with cutting-edge academic research. It is designed to develop both knowledge and practical skills for organizing workers in global supply chains and engaging in policy processes to advance decent work in global supply chains.

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International Labour Standards: How to Use Them

English, Spanish and French

This course discusses and connects with a global community of trade unionists, labour rights activists and scholars on International Labour Standards and how to use them to promote and defend workers' rights worldwide.

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Fair Wage Strategies in a Global Economy

English

This course aids students in understanding the actual landscape of wage setting and learning from successful policies and strategies to improve the working and living conditions of workers around the world. 

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Sustainable and Inclusive Development in Bangladesh

Bangla

This course builds analytical skills, practical tools and strategies for improving workers' rights and strengthening industrial relations to achieve sustainable and inclusive development in Bangladesh.

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Workers' Rights in a Global Economy

Russian

This online course is an opportunity to learn more about International Labour Standards and minimum wage, as well as to discuss how to use them to promote and defend workers' rights.

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Blended Online Course on Global Workers’ Rights

English

This course discusses what Global Workers' Rights are and which instruments and strategies can be used to implement them. You will be invited to apply your new knowledge to a practical case of your interest.

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Certified Trainers and Tutors

Since 2021, the Online Academy has started the process of developing teams of local trainers and online tutors to support its model of online education.  By conducting localised workshops on topics of the online courses, these trainers are creating new spaces for engagement and social learning.

This project has also led to the establishment of new Regional Teams of Trainers (RTT) in Africa and Latin America, which expanded the ranks of GTTT. 

More about GTTT and RTT

Explore Further

GLU Online Academy Brochure

Download the brochure to find out more about the GLU Online Academy and its offerings and activities. 

Online courses of the GLU Online Academy

Watch an informative video presenting the free massive open online courses we offer. 

Education Model of the Online Academy

Find out more about the education model of the GLU Online Academy. 

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