The MOOC will run between 29 May and 30 June 2023 and will comprise a series of 5 weekly online modules. It will be delivered in the six official languages of the United Nations (UN), i.e. in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, as well as in Portuguese.
The course will be free and open to all. It will especially relevant for judicial actors (e.g. judicial branches, public ministries, public defenders, electoral courts, human rights ombudsmen, judicial law clerks) from all justice systems, as well as to journalists, academics, and other professionals across the world.
The course will draw on the UNESCO Toolkit for Judges and Judicial Actors on Freedom of Expression Standards and other materials. It will build on the successful Bonavero Institute-UNESCO MOOC on Freedom of Expression which was delivered in English in 2021, as well as on similar regional MOOCs previously organised by UNESCO focusing on Latin America and Africa.
The five weekly modules of the MOOC are convened by academics and supplemented by the insights and experiences of prominent guest speakers. Every module introduces and discusses a pertinent topic with respect to the international and regional protection of freedom of expression. Each features accessible background material, comprehension quizzes, as well as a pre-recorded webinar.
The course will be launched on 29 May 2023, and will be delivered over a period of five weeks until 30 June 2023. One weekly module will be released on EdX starting 29 May 2023, and participants will have the flexibility to complete the course anytime before 14 July 2023. We estimate the time commitment to complete the course at under two hours per week, so it is suitable for anyone in full-time employment.
Participants who successfully complete the course in any of the seven language versions will receive a certificate of completion.
