Malaysians spent 50% more time on Coursera in 2023, 9 out of top 10 courses from Google

More and more Malaysians are learning through online platforms such as Coursera it seems, as the online course provider has revealed some of its findings from this year’s annual study on Malaysian learners. In total, Coursera saw over 716,000 registered learners from Malaysia in 2023, with Malaysians having spent 50% more time this year learning on Coursera compared to last year.

In particular, there was a huge amount of interest in generative AI with the number of Malaysians who looked up courses about generative AI on the platform increasing by seven times this year compared to the previous year. The most popular generative AI courses on Coursera among Malaysians in 2023 were Introduction to Generative AI by Google Cloud, Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT by Vanderbilt University and Generative AI for Everyone by DeepLearningAI. Overall, the most popular course in Malaysia this year though was Foundations: Data, Data Everywhere by Google, which Coursera says became a popular choice for many Malaysians who wanted to build foundational literacy in a data-driven world.

In fact, nine of the top ten most popular courses among Malaysians this year have been from Google, with data-related courses appearing to be the most sought after courses on the platform. The one course not from Google in that top ten list meanwhile is First Step Korean by Yonsei University. This foundational course towards learning the Korean language has been on the most popular courses list for four years now, perhaps hinting at a large number of Malaysians seeking to learn Korean as a second language.

“In 2023, Malaysian learners’ passion for learning soared on Coursera. Their interest in GenAI, tech, and data skills, not only reflects their thirst for cutting-edge knowledge but also their commitment to staying at the forefront of the digital revolution. n the year ahead, we’re excited to use GenAI to transform education, providing personalized, engaging and inclusive learning.

The renewed focus on lifelong learning, tech and human skills, and blended learning on campuses will be the key to employability in the AI-driven world,” – Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Coursera

Incidentally, Cousera found that most Malaysians are also picking courses that are part of entry-level Professional Certificates that don’t require background knowledge on the subject. This can be seen even from the top ten most popular courses list, with the likes of Foundations of Cybersecurity and Foundations of Project Management being in-demand courses among Malaysians.

If you’re keen on learning one of these courses for yourself, you can click here to head over to Coursera.