Empowering Learners: UNext Boosts Career Readiness with Real-World Skills
Ambrish Sinha, CEO at UNext, shares insights into how UNext is transforming learner outcomes by aligning academic programs with real-world applications and practical skills.
At a time when education and career development are rapidly evolving, universities are rethinking how curricula can best serve the needs of learners as they prepare to enter the workforce or pivot their careers. Committed to empowering students with the skills necessary for success in today's competitive job market, UNext focuses on creating accessible and high-quality accredited degree programs through Online Manipal.
In this interview, Ambrish Sinha, CEO at UNext, shares insights into how UNext is transforming learner outcomes by aligning academic programs with real-world applications and practical skills. From leveraging technology to fostering industry connections, Sinha discusses the strategic initiatives that are equipping learners for future challenges, including offering Coursera access to Online Manipal’s learners.
What is UNext’s vision for student learning? How has Coursera supported this drive for affordable, high-quality online degrees?
Our vision is to democratize access to quality higher education, making it affordable and accessible. We have created an ecosystem that enables individuals to gain the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to succeed in the world today. By offering programs that are not only accessible and affordable but also globally recognized, we aim to create a level playing field where every learner has the opportunity to succeed. Our programs are also aligned with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which has set a target of increasing the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50% by 2035 [1]. By leveraging technology, we are enabling learners across the country, particularly in underserved areas, to take charge of their learning journeys.
Coursera has played a pivotal role in supporting our vision by providing a diverse range of learners, from working professionals to stay-at-home parents to those in remote areas, access to the same high-quality education as those in the world’s top universities.
Our programs, supplemented with Coursera, provide a scalable educational infrastructure that allows for continuous learning and development. This ensures that individuals can keep up with the demands of a rapidly changing world while aligning their education with their personal and professional goals. Thus, we contribute to a more educated and capable workforce, which in turn supports economic growth and societal well-being.
Given the diverse student base for online learners, from high school graduates to working professionals, how do you ensure their varied needs are met, and what role does Coursera play in this? How do you ensure the curriculum continuously aligns with industry standards and demands?
Learning should be inclusive and adaptable to people's varied circumstances. Whether one is balancing a full-time job, caring for a family, or navigating time zone differences, our online programs are designed to provide the flexibility needed to succeed. We leverage the best tech stack and AI-powered tools and focus on pedagogical innovation to create a learning environment that is both engaging and supportive.
We offer a learning experience that is rigorously aligned with industry standards and demands. It’s important to have a community that promotes a culture of lifelong learning, and we do that through numerous online and in-person initiatives. Apart from the academic curriculum, we actively engage with industry leaders, alumni, and academic experts to create content and organize workshops that enable our learners to acquire practical skills. Our series called Career Insights caters to job seekers through real-world experiences and insights shared by experts from different industries. Start-up founders and senior executives at leading firms share their journeys and provide insights on what they look for in job candidates. This exposes our learners to the hiring perspective so that they can develop the most in-demand skills.
We regularly review and update our courses based on insights from our advisory boards and industry partnerships, but implementing them in the curriculum requires a series of reviews and approvals. Coursera plays a critical role here since the courses published there are designed by leading industry experts and educators and can be offered to students directly. Our learners gain access to high-quality educational content that might otherwise be out of reach.
I see AI as a catalyst for a new era in education – one where education and human ingenuity come together to create more meaningful learning experiences.
With UNext's partnership with Online Manipal achieving 400,000 hours of learning on Coursera, what strategies have you employed to drive high engagement, and can you share any innovative practices that have contributed to this success?
We started with a very focused strategy to make learning a habit. To that end, we crafted a campaign to recommend short and easy-to-do courses on Coursera on a monthly basis. This campaign was tailored to learners of each stream – management, IT, and arts. We saw the enrollment rate gradually increase from only 9% in April 2022 to an encouraging 40% by December 2023 and over 50% today (Note: If we calculate the number of enrolled learners from the numbers that joined Coursera as opposed to those invited, we are at 95%). By integrating Coursera into our curriculum, we enabled our learners to acquire the skills and certifications necessary for professional advancement. In fact, the content significantly enhanced their employability and capabilities. Through regular and frequent learner interaction, we fostered a vibrant learning community. We recognized early adopters and frequent users by featuring them in monthly newsletters and awarding certificates to “Coursera Champions.” Highlighting the benefits of Coursera at practically every important milestone from orientation to classes and near graduation, we motivated learners to stay engaged with their learning and created a supportive environment where they can share knowledge and collaborate.
Some of our partner universities have also successfully integrated Coursera into their curriculum. Apart from guided projects that form an important part of the curriculum today, we also offer select courses to help learners strengthen their foundational basics before the start of each semester and prepare them to succeed in their professional journeys. This has helped our clients save manpower and effort, significantly increasing operational efficiency. Our faculty members also use Coursera, as we encourage lifelong learning and skill-building within the organization. Our partnership with Coursera has grown significantly from 12,000 licenses in 2021 to 100,000 today, driving utilization and maximizing the impact of our educational initiatives. To help other universities around the globe drive learner adoption, we even participated in the Coursera for Campus' Adoption Day webinar in 2022 and shared best practices on how we successfully launched and drove adoption for Coursera programs. It’s great to be partnering with a learning organization that shares our values and is committed to making a difference in people’s lives.
How do you incorporate Coursera’s industry-aligned content, such as Guided Projects and Professional Certificates, into your partner universities' online degree programs? Can you provide specific examples of how Coursera’s guided projects have helped students build confidence in their career goals?
Guided projects are a game-changer—they’ve enabled many of our learners to acquire skills aligned with current market demands. We’ve included some guided projects as mandatory courses for a few of our programs. By working on real-world problems, our learners get hands-on experience, which is crucial when they transition or advance in their careers.
Professional Certificate courses are also valuable to learners as they validate their expertise in a specific domain. These certificates, especially since they’re offered in partnership with recognized industry leaders, provide our learners with a competitive edge in the job market. They can confidently demonstrate to employers that they not only possess theoretical knowledge but also immediately applicable workplace skills. This combination of hands-on experience and recognized qualifications empowers learners to confidently pursue their career goals.
How have students responded to Coursera for Campus, and what benefits do they see in using it? What changes have you observed in your students’ employment readiness and learning abilities since incorporating Coursera? Has there been a noticeable impact on partner universities' reputation, enrollments, and retention?
Learners see it as a powerful supplement to their education because these courses offer the flexibility that traditional programs might not – they can explore new subjects, deepen their understanding of specific domains, and stay updated with the latest trends in their field. They’re acquiring skills that are directly applicable to their careers, and this, combined with the fact that they are learning from global experts in the field, really boosts their confidence and competence.
Our learners have made significant progress in their careers with the skills obtained from completing certification courses on Coursera. Even though a domain change in one’s career is usually not easy without work experience, one of our BCA students, with the assistance of significant effort and study, including on Coursera, successfully moved domains from software engineering to heading a cybersecurity team at a leading aviation company. Another student, a working mother facing career challenges, found a new passion for learning through Coursera. In addition to her MBA curriculum, she invested time and effort in completing over 100 courses from Coursera, gaining management and business etiquette skills, and ultimately securing her independence by landing a stable job.
Read more: Explore the Coursera 2025 Job Skills Report
Overall, 75% of the learners performed better than the batch average in the semester exams. In addition, 73% of the students had CGPAs greater than or equal to 8. (Note: Learners who enrolled in more than 10 Coursera courses with a completion rate of 50% and above).
We decided to offer Coursera as a supplementary learning platform to provide a comprehensive and forward-thinking education. We have seen enrollment increase, as prospective students recognize the value of a program that blends traditional academic rigor with the flexibility and relevance that Coursera offers. Our retention rate has also improved as learners feel more engaged and supported in their learning journey with access to resources beyond the standard curriculum. For many, it is incredibly empowering to tailor their learning to their personal and professional goals.
As rapidly as industries evolve, the skills required to succeed in them change just as quickly. Blending practical experience with traditional learning by integrating industry micro-credentials into formal degree programs is a way forward.
How do you envision generative AI impacting the future of education, particularly in terms of learning outcomes, and how are you planning to integrate these technologies into your programs and pedagogy?
Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize education in ways we’ve only begun to imagine. By integrating it into programs and pedagogy, it can personalize learning by tailoring educational experiences to the unique needs of each learner or teacher. This kind of customization could significantly improve learning outcomes by ensuring that learners get the exact support they need, exactly when they need it.
Our Learning Management System, Lumen, has built-in AI-enabled features such as AI Professor, which offers targeted help to learners struggling with specific concepts, adapting lessons to their pace of learning. It provides real-time feedback and insights into learning patterns, helping students identify the areas they need to improve in and correct mistakes as they learn. For educators, we have built-in AI features that assist them by automating administrative tasks, allowing them to focus more on direct interaction with students. It also creates dynamic educational content like quizzes and simulations that engage students more deeply.
AI has already contributed to increased learner engagement and improved retention rates by providing guided assistance, adaptive content delivery, and timely reminders, so students can stay focused and meet their learning goals. I see AI as a catalyst for a new era in education – one where education and human ingenuity come together to create more meaningful learning experiences.
What are your recommendations for fellow educators on integrating industry micro-credentials into traditional degree programs?
As rapidly as industries evolve, the skills required to succeed in them change just as quickly. Blending practical experience with traditional learning by integrating industry micro-credentials into formal degree programs is a way forward. We can ensure that learners are not only grounded in theory but also equipped with the latest, most relevant skills needed by employers.
Read more: Coursera Micro-Credentials Impact Report 2025
Integrating micro-credentials that focus on new trends in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship is beneficial for learners because these are areas where hands-on, practical knowledge is crucial, and where traditional education alone often falls short. Micro-credentials bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application, making graduates more employable. Students can tailor their education to match their career aspirations, giving them the ability to specialize in areas that are in high demand.
How does UNext plan to leverage Coursera in the future?
We are looking at a transformational shift in how we deliver education – it should be a scalable, high-quality learning experience that strengthens workforce readiness. Beyond access, our aim is to integrate credit-bearing Coursera courses into our curriculum, enable structured learning paths, assessments, and certifications. This will ensure uniform academic quality across diverse learner groups with immediately applicable, job-relevant skills. Embedding Coursera courses within our formal degree programs will allow learners to access global faculty and industry expertise without leaving our ecosystem. This integration will reduce redundant content creation and allow our faculty to devote more time to advanced discussions and focus on applied learning.
Explore Coursera for your campus
Coursera for Campus empowers any university to offer job-relevant, credit-ready online education to students, faculty, and staff. With Coursera for Campus, you can promote student employability by teaching in-demand skills for high-growth fields and help students master job-ready skills with Guided Projects, programming assignments, and in-course assessments—online, offline, and via mobile. Enable faculty to create projects, assessments, and courses tailored to learner needs with Coursera for Campus.
Article sources
1. Ministry of Education. "National Education Policy 2020 announced, https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1642061." Accessed May 7, 2025.
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