GetSmarter with edX: What Does This Mean For You?

For more than 15 years, GetSmarter has been delivering online short courses that are data driven, market-led, and designed to meet the dynamic needs of the future of work. During this time we have helped over 140,000 students, from South Africa and the rest of the world, develop practical skills and business knowledge while studying with leading local and international universities and institutions. These have included globally recognized schools such as the University of Cape Town, the University of Oxford, Harvard, MIT, and Cambridge University. More recently, you may have noticed a new brand mentioned in connection to GetSmarter that you are unfamiliar with – edX.

In 2021, our parent company 2U, Inc. acquired edX, an online learning platform founded by Harvard and MIT. With a shared purpose of making the world’s best education available to everyone, you now have more opportunities to expand your learning journey. This doesn’t affect the GetSmarter short course experience. We will continue to operate in the exact same way as we did before – with the same partners, same coursework, same learner support, and same digital certificate upon completion.

However, to answer any questions you may have, here is a list of FAQs:

What do I need to know about edX?

edX is 2U’s global online marketplace and the primary brand for its range of products and services – connecting 76 million ambitious learners with the skills, knowledge, and support to achieve their goals. Together with the world’s leading universities and companies, edX offers thousands of free and open courses, professional certificates, boot camps, credit-bearing micro credentials, and undergraduate and graduate degrees. This equates to over 250 partners, and more than 4,200 online learning opportunities.

How is edX different from GetSmarter?

While GetSmarter operates and specializes in online short courses, edX is the online marketplace that offers all of 2U’s products and services, including GetSmarter’s full portfolio.

Why should I do a GetSmarter short course instead of an offering on edX.org?

Your GetSmarter short course is an offering on edX.org. Our portfolio is made up of market-led executive education courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required for the workplace of the future through an immersive online experience. However, if a short course isn’t right for your next learning goal, visit edX.org to explore our partner offerings. These include free online courses, boot camps, MicroBachelors® and MicroMasters® Programs, and online undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate degrees. Each product offering varies in credential, length of time for completion, price, and outcomes.