Discover free open online courses sponsored by Asia's leading universities

Learning doesn't only happen inside the classroom. That's quite evident with the growing number of institutions of higher learning offering their courses for free online. All you need is a strong and fast Internet connection and  you're ready to sign up for any class. Check out some of the courses, some of which offer certificates, offered by Asia's leading universities.

Nanyang Technological University

• Introduction to Forensic Science

Understand how basic scientific principles underpin forensic science and can contribute to solving criminal cases. Session starts April 2014 and takes 6-8 hours per week.  Sign up here

• Beauty, Form & Function: an exploration of symmetry

Identify symmetrical forms and appreciate their importance in nature, art, architecture and technology. Session starts February 2014 and takes 4-10 hours per week. Sign up here

National University of Singapore

• Write like Mozart: An introduction to Classical Musical composition

This course introduces students to strategies for style writing of common practice European art music. Session starts January 2014 and takes 2-3 hours per week.  Sign up here

• Randomness, Chance and Free Will

Learn about the usefulness of randomness in communication and computation, the intrinsic randomness of quantum phenomena, the unpredictability of the weather, the role of chance in evolution, and the implications of the neural activity of the brain on our "free will". Session starts January 2014 and takes 2-3 hours per week. Sign up here

Peking University

• General Chemistry

This is a general chemistry course for college freshmen who are majoring in science, medicine or engineering. Session starts September 30, 2013 and takes 10 weeks to finish. Sign up here

• Introduction to Computing

Introduction to Computing A is for "information science technology disciplines an undergraduate" opened a basic curriculum. This course has two objectives: first, to help learners to establish a "scientific and technical knowledge needed to learn computer basics background"; secondly, to help learners "Mastering the basics of computer programming," develop learners' Individually designed computer program to solve the problem, "the basic skills. Session starts September 30, 2013 and takes 12 weeks to finish. Sign up here