Nottingham University to create micro-courses to tackle hate crimes and harassment

The University of Nottingham has engaged GoodCourse , the London-based EdTech start-up, to co-create a new style of micro-learning courses to raise awareness of misogyny and hate crime.

As thousands of new students explore their city and independent living for the first time, a new micro-learning approach – informed by ground-breaking research for police forces – will help educate students on how to keep each other safe.

The university approached GoodCourse for a new kind of learning proposition – one which encompasses short, accessible videos to capture the attention of a new generation.

Courses are specifically designed to feel like the familiar social media apps students use every day but will incorporate Nottingham’s award-winning research on hate crime and misogyny.

Louise Mullany, Professor in Sociolinguistics at the University of Nottingham, a leading expert on the language of hate crime – will be heading up the project. Her work has fed into the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Women and Equalities Select Committee review of street harassment, contributing to proposed amendments to the Upskirting Bill and the government tasking the Law Commission with reviewing hate crime laws in 2019.

Following the rollout, the team is keen to ensure universities across the sector will be able to use the co-created courses to make young people safer around the country.

Professor Katherine Linehan , Pro Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People, at the University of Nottingham said:

“Meaningful change on these important equity and inclusion issues can’t be achieved with academic rigour alone. Being able to reach and engage everyone in the conversation is crucial to effect change and progress.

“Through our partnership with GoodCourse, we are excited to be leading the way with the use of new technology to engage far wider audiences on these topics.”

Chris Mansfield , Co-founder, GoodCourse says:

“The fact that equity and inclusion training is still often only attended by a minority — who are often already highly engaged with the topic at hand — makes it incredibly difficult to create meaningful change. That’s why we’re so pleased to partner with Nottingham, to make learning and training on these important issues much more accessible and engaging.

“Nottingham has unmatched academic expertise on the subject matter, which will be instrumental in creating research-backed and effective micro-learning courses.”

About Nottingham University

The University of Nottingham is a research-intensive university with a proud heritage. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia – part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.

Ranked 18th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2023, the University’s state-of-the-art  facilities and inclusive and disability sport provision is reflected in its crowning as The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide Sports University of the Year twice in three years, most recently in 2021. We are ranked seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021.

We have six beacons of research excellence  helping to transform lives and change the world; we are also a major employer and industry partner – locally and globally. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, a pioneering collaboration which brings together the combined strength and civic missions of Nottingham’s two world-class universities and is working with local communities and partners to aid recovery and renewal following the COVID-19 pandemic.

About GoodCourse

GoodCourse is the mobile-based micro-learning platform, built to reach and engage frontline staff and students on issues in the field of equity, inclusion and harassment prevention. The company is a VC-backed team of technology and learning design experts on a mission to solve the challenge of learner engagement – on the topics that matter.