Coursera Inc, one of the world's largest online learning platforms, revealed that Malaysia's registered learners on its platform grew by 20% in 2024, reaching over 862,000. Two major trends emerged this year: an unprecedented demand for generative AI (GenAI) learning and a focus on role-specific content tailored for job preparation.
Reflecting a global surge, Malaysia recorded a fivefold increase in GenAI course enrolments, with top offerings like Google AI Essentials, Generative AI for Everyone, and Generative AI: Introduction and Applications. Across Asia Pacific, someone enrolled in GenAI content on Coursera every two minutes, highlighting its growing significance as a professional skill.
According to Microsoft's Work Trend Index 2024, 62% of Malaysian employers prioritised AI skills over experience, and 65% preferred candidates with AI knowledge even if they had less experience. Beyond AI, Malaysians pursued business, marketing, project management, and data analytics courses, with 60% of the most popular courses forming part of entry-level Professional Certificates, including Google's Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere.
"Malaysian learners embraced the future of work in 2024, prioritising GenAI and mission-critical skills to remain globally competitive," said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Coursera. "We anticipate an accelerated race towards AI literacy in 2025 and remain committed to empowering learners with transformative education."
Top Courses in Malaysia for 2024:
- Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere (Google)
- Google AI Essentials (Google)
- Foundations of Project Management (Google)
- First Step Korean (Yonsei University)
- Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce (Google)
- Foundations of Cybersecurity (Google)
- Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions (Google)
- Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project (Google)
- Chinese for Beginners (Peking University)
- Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design (Google)
Top GenAI Courses in Malaysia for 2024:
- Google AI Essentials (Google)
- Generative AI for Everyone (DeepLearning.AI)
- Introduction to Generative AI (Google Cloud)
- Use Generative AI as Your Thought Partner (Coursera)
- Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT (Vanderbilt University)
- Generative AI: Introduction and Applications (IBM)
- Generative AI with Large Language Models (AWS & DeepLearning.AI)
- Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics (IBM)
- ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers (DeepLearning.AI)
- ChatGPT for Beginners: Save Time With Microsoft Excel (Coursera Project Network)
Preliminary findings from Coursera's upcoming Job Skills Report 2025 show that Malaysian learners continue prioritising GenAI, leadership, empathy, risk management, and analytical thinking, aligning closely with global workforce demands.
