A project aiming to provide free access to the UK’s best university lectures has launched
The Free Range University (Fruni) currently allows university students to vote online for lecturers that they think other students at their university should also have the chance to learn from. Frumi then works with universities to help them establish a series of open lectures, showcasing the best of a university’s teaching.
The project hopes to eventually offer the best lectures to a wider audience, not just other students at a particular university.
Fruni founder Tom Corfield believes that every student should have the chance to be inspired by great teaching from lots of different subjects, not just from their own course.
The scheme began at Bristol University in 2010 with a project called Best of Bristol Lecturers. In its first year over 1,500 students voted and 3,000 people attended the 11 open lectures that were held.
The project became Fruni in 2012 and now aims to take the programme nationally after receiving funding from UnLtd, a charity supporting social enterprises.
“We’re now talking to ten universities who will be using our Fruni online tools to replicate this in the coming year.” said Fruni founder Tom Corfield. “Students at any university can use the tool for free – all they need to do is show that 100 students at their uni want it.”
Fruni hopes to see universities across the UK donate some of their best teaching to a national fund for inspirational teaching. Organisations such as schools and charities would then be able to access this for free.
