Purdue expands free online AI and high-demand technical skill courses to alumni

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A transformative partnership with Google and its Google Career Certificate program, after initially being offered to Purdue students and employees, will be expanded to the university’s alumni network beginning Nov. 13.  

Purdue announced the expansion Tuesday (Oct. 28). The online courses that lead to a certificate will cover high-demand technical skills, including cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, and project management.

Additionally, Purdue will offer free access for alumni to its AI microcredential “Demystifying AI, Understanding Risks and Shaping the Future” through a special partnership with the Purdue for Life Foundation. Alumni will earn a Purdue certificate after completing the course.

This mini-course is part of Purdue’s online AI microcredentials series that was the first of its kind to earn ABET recognition. They are the only AI microcredentials in the world today with such recognition. Formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, ISO 9001:2015-certified quality assurance organization with more than 2,200 volunteer experts from academia, government and industry supporting its work annually. Based in the U.S., it operates in 42 countries and has accredited more than 4,600 degree programs worldwide.

To earn ABET recognition, Purdue’s AI microcredentials went through an extensive application and review process detailing such things as the educational goals and expected learning outcomes for the courses and the processes to ensure those are met and that learners who complete the requirements are formally recognized. Among other things, the review considered how the content of the courses is created and by whom, how it is delivered to learners, and how it is continuously improved to stay relevant.

“Purdue is expanding opportunities for lifelong learning by offering alumni access to a curated selection of online courses through the Google Career Certificate program and our ABET quality assured AI microcredential program designed to help graduates advance their careers, explore new interests and stay connected to their alma mater,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, Purdue’s senior vice president for partnerships and online. “Expansion of the program reflects Purdue’s commitment to support graduates long after commencement, recognizing that learning doesn’t end with a diploma.”

Peroulis said Purdue currently offers a vast array of free online learning opportunities for Boilermaker alumni and others both inside and outside the campus community, including the Purdue University Online YouTube channel with more than 600 course videos and Purdue X, which offers free online courses in wide-ranging topics in partnership with edX. These offerings reflect Purdue’s renowned strength in STEM while also spanning diverse fields like business, health sciences, liberal arts and agriculture — underscoring the university’s commitment to accessible, interdisciplinary education.

Additional opportunities in AI upskilling and an MS in AI degree, with two majors in AI and Machine Learning and AI Management and Policy, are available 100% online at Purdue University. All of the online programs are designed and delivered from the West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations, giving online students the same rigorous courses, same expert faculty mentorship and same degrees as those available to on-campus students.

The Purdue for Life Foundation serves as a portal for educational opportunities, providing access to courses designed to advance careers, develop new skills, enhance personal enrichment and foster lifelong connections stemming from a Boilermaker credential or diploma.

“Building on Purdue University’s historic land-grant mission and as one of the nation’s leading research institutions, Purdue is designed to make a high-quality Purdue education as accessible and affordable as possible, whether it’s for professional development, continuing education or personal growth,” Peroulis said.

To take advantage of this discount, alumni will need to create a Purdue for Life account, enter the Purdue Connect portal and update their information. After updating their information, alumni will receive a discount code they can apply to any eligible course at registration.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 106,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its integrated, comprehensive Indianapolis urban expansion; the Mitch Daniels School of Business; Purdue Computes; and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.