UP Offers Free Online Courses Parents Can Take to Upskill

If upskilling is on your 2026 mood board, the University of the Philippines Open University is opening the door early. UP Open University has released its January to June Massive Open Online Courses lineup, with 28 free courses available to take online.

According to UP Open University, this batch includes both returning courses and four newly launched offerings, with topics spanning education, climate resilience, child development, and entrepreneurship. Enrollment opens on a rolling basis throughout the first half of the year, making it easy to fit learning around existing schedules.

The January to June lineup spans six months of flexible, self-paced learning, with courses opening at different points throughout the year. Some are geared toward educators and professionals in open and distance learning, while others focus on child development, climate resilience, policy, and even entrepreneurship. Some courses appear more than once in the schedule, so learners may have multiple opportunities to enroll.

UP Open University also introduced four brand-new courses this cycle, which reflect growing demand in areas like BPO-related skills, climate services, and practical support for children with special needs.

January

• Basics of Resilience

• Hazard and Risk Assessment Fundamentals

February

• Practical Home Behavior Management for Children with Special Needs

• Data Annotation for Aspiring BPO Professionals

• Climate Information Services

• Intercultural Communication Japan I A Digitally Enhanced Approach

March

• Introduction to Technology for Teaching and Learning

• Introduction to Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

• Risk Analysis for Project Management

• Introduction to Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Agriculture in the ASEAN Region

• Strategies and Best Practices on Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Agriculture

• Policy Development and Governance Supporting Biodiversity in Agriculture

• Identifying the Red Flags of Developmental Delays

• Understanding the Child Better

April

• Strategic Planning in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

• Teaching and Learning with Modern ICTs

• Legal Instruments for the Protection of Children

• Overview of Policies and Strategies for Climate and Disaster Resilience

• Resilience Strategies Across the Four Pillars

May

• Quality Assurance in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

• Blended Teaching and Learning Using OERs

• Online Mothers’ Class

June

• Introduction to Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

• Institutional Mechanism Towards Child Rights Protection and Promotion

• What Makes an Entrepreneur Business Concepts Ideation and the Business Plan

• Learner Support in Open Distance eLearning (ODEL)

• Internalizing Behaviors among Children and Practical Home Support

Enrollment is done through MODeL, UP Open University’s learning platform. To get started, head to the MODeL website and create an account by selecting “Log In” and completing the self-registration form. Once you confirm your email address, you can browse available courses and enroll directly. UP Open University advises that self-enrollment usually opens about two weeks before a course begins.

For questions or technical concerns, learners can reach out to the MODeL team via email at model@upou.edu.ph. All courses are free, fully online, and open to the public, making this one of the easiest ways to add new skills to your year without committing to a full program.

This story originally appeared on Preview.
*Minor edits have been made by the Smart Parenting editors.

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