Coursera, the world’s leading online learning platform, has announced they are partnering with INSEAD, one of the world’s top business schools, to launch ‘Blockchain Revolution for the Enterprise,’ a new Specialization taught by Don Tapscott, adjunct professor at INSEAD and co-founder of the Blockchain Research Institute (BRI).

With content derived from the BRI’s multi-million-dollar research program, the four-course Specialization, available in the Middle East and around the globe, is designed to introduce business professionals to the world of blockchain, focusing on how to strategically leverage the technology to create scalable business opportunities. Tapscott is one of the world’s leading authorities on blockchain and the role technology plays in business and society.

“Blockchain is reshaping the business world and creating new opportunities across a variety of industries. It is helping revolutionize business processes, drive efficiencies, and even lower costs, so it’s critical that both technical developers and business professionals understand blockchain and its applications,” said Dil Sidhu, Chief Content Officer at Coursera. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with a top institution like INSEAD and leading blockchain authority Don Tapscott to help professionals make informed, strategic decisions about how to use blockchain to transform their business.”

“With blockchain spending in the Middle East and Africa poised to reach $307 million in 2021, acquiring blockchain skills will be key to helping the UAE emerge as a knowledge-powered economy,” said Leah Belsky, Vice President of Enterprise at Coursera. “In line with Dubai’s ‘Blockchain Strategy’, which aims to promote efficiency around government services and fuel economic development, our new ‘Blockchain Revolution for the Enterprise’ Specialization will help business leaders in the region gain the critical skills needed to innovate.”

“Educating leaders is one of the keys to accelerating the widespread adoption of blockchain,” said Don Tapscott. “Working with INSEAD and Coursera, we’ve been able to develop the world’s definitive online course for blockchain in business. This will be invaluable to learners around the world.”

With no programming background necessary, Blockchain Revolution for the Enterprise enables mid-career and senior business professionals to:

• Understand a high-level view of blockchain and how they can position themselves within this ecosystem
• Critically evaluate various claims, applications, use-cases, and implementation challenges of blockchain technology using seven design principles
• Produce a Blockchain Opportunity Analysis to assess the feasibility of a blockchain application within their own industry or organization

“Blockchain, a technology predicted to disrupt many industries, is being viewed both as a threat and an opportunity,” said Peter Zemsky, Deputy Dean and Dean of Innovation at INSEAD. “It is important for INSEAD to lead the way to offer a universally accessible learning program to help demystify this technology and to prepare future leaders for this transformation.”

The courses in the Blockchain Revolution for the Enterprise Specialization are now available online and kick off with the ‘Introduction to blockchain technologies’ course. Upon completion of the four-course program, learners will receive a certificate that they can share with potential employers and their professional network.

As blockchain presents another wave of global technological disruption, Coursera offers flexible, affordable ways for learners to keep up. Coursera will continue to provide an accessible pathway that empowers learners with skills that can transform their careers and their businesses. In the future, Coursera and INSEAD plan to launch a number of vertical-focused Specializations that adapt blockchain content for specific application in industries like healthcare, finance, and supply chain.