Impact on the University

Designed in collaboration with students, staff, alumni and external stakeholders; our suite of open online courses represent a significant move towards flexible digital teaching, with important benefits for the University and staff.

Our reputation for education

The Bristol Futures open online courses reflect our commitment to delivering high‑quality, future‑focused education. Developed through genuine collaboration between students, academic staff, researchers, and key stakeholders, these courses showcase an innovative approach to learning. With a strong focus on personal development and interdisciplinary skills, they highlight our dedication to helping students build the wider capabilities and attributes needed to succeed as graduates.

Our commitment to the academic development of our students

Through our Vision and Strategy, we aspire to develop skilled, adaptable and resilient graduates. The Bristol Futures open online courses build upon our existing strength in research-rich disciplinary education by offering students opportunities to engage more widely outside their established curriculum.

Building partnerships

By promoting the courses widely as open educational resources, we will build relationships with local schools and colleges, and national and international university exchange partners.

‌Engagement with the city of Bristol

Bristol Futures offers the University a chance to reconnect with the city of Bristol. The themes of AI fundamentals, Global Citizenship, Innovation and Enterprise and Sustainable Futures have been chosen to resonate with the values of not only the University of Bristol, and its staff and students, but also with those of the city of Bristol itself.

Supporting research

The Bristol Futures open online courses represent a unique preparation for interdisciplinary challenge-based research. The courses are just as relevant for research students as for taught students, encouraging them to think creatively beyond their subject discipline.

Helping staff to promote academic development

Promoting personal development and self reflection are at the core of Bristol Futures. Through the mapping of the courses against the Bristol's My Skills framework, staff can offer targeted advice to their students on opportunities to help them in their academic development.

Attracting the best students

Because the open online courses are openly available through the FutureLearn platform, we will inspire prospective students, demonstrating our approach to education with its emphasis not only on subject-specific knowledge and understanding, but also wider skills and attributes. This will help us to recruit the very best students, and, by taking the courses even before they arrive, give them a head start to enable them to achieve their full potential at the University of Bristol.