Global Labour University

Online Academy

Connecting activists and workers worldwide

Founded in 2014, the Global Labour University Online Academy (GLU Online Academy) is a pioneer in online labour education reaching thousands of trade unionists and labour activists in almost all countries of the world.

Its Massive Open Online Courses, which are developed in close collaboration with academics, trade unionists and activists from across the world, are all for free and cover a wide range of topics. Other than English, the online courses are also available in Bangla, Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS), French, Hindi, Khmer, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Over the years, the GLU Online Academy has developed decentralised, globally-connected learning spaces for workers and trade unionists. Its online courses are combined with webinars and localized workshops in a blended model of education supported by teams of certified trainers and tutors. 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.

The work of the GLU Online Academy benefited from the financial support of various organizations, including the ILO, FES, DGB-BW, GiZ, BMZ, OSF, LO Norway 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 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. 

Workers in Informal Employment: Organising and Bargaining Collectively

English

This course offers a platform to analyse and discuss the political economy of informal employment and the forces driving it, with a focus on worker collective power, and specifically on strategies for collective organising and bargaining in spaces where worker rights are commonly denied.

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Labour History

English

This course is on the history of the labour movement to understand the challenges of our times and sharpen our analysis, visions and strategies for the future.

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The Future is Public

English

This course on emerging visions of public services anchored in values of democracy and participation, justice, transparency, access and affordability, quality services and care for the environment.

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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 local trainers and online tutors

Creating new spaces for collective learning and political engagement

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Explore Further

GLU Online Academy Brochure

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

GLU Online Academy 2025 Plan of Activities

Check out what is in the pipeline for 2025.

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. 

The Project of Popular Education

Watch our video explaining what the Project of Popular Education is all about. 

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