This article provides information on changes to digital skills training for training providers who use Microsoft LinkedIn Learning to deliver courses to staff and students. This includes news that the IT Learning Centre’s Microsoft LinkedIn Learning subscription will end in August 2024. If you use Microsoft LinkedIn Learning for personal learning, read this article instead.
What is changing and why?
From August 2024, the IT Learning Centre (ITLC) will focus on providing access to free-to-use resources that cover these topics:
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Microsoft 365 Training to help everyone better leverage Microsoft apps for everyday communication, collaboration and productivity such as Teams, Outlook and Excel.
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Adobe Creative Cloud Learn for digital creation and publishing skills.
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Programming and coding resources for employability and research skills.
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Microsoft Learn for documentation and learning pathways to support specialist platform users of Azure DevOps, Dynamics, etc.
To make way for this line-up, we'll say goodbye to Microsoft LinkedIn Learning.
We’re making this change to better reflect the current digital skills needs of the University. Our users will see improvements in the quality and relevance of on-demand digital skills resources available to them.
It will also provide better value for money for the University and add flexibility to support Digital Transformation as the programme evolves.
Although the service funding for the University’s access to Microsoft LinkedIn Learning is digital skills-related, we're aware that training providers use it to provide training for other topics, such as leadership and management skills. This means there will be implications for training provision elsewhere in the University.
We don't want to disrupt your plans after August 2024, so we are sharing the news of this change in advance of the 2024-25 budget setting window. So that we can support discussions and potential actions to safeguard your future access to suitable resources, we’ve set out some options and a contact email address below.
What actions should I take if this affects my training provision?
What should I do if this affects my training offer / budget for the FY 2024/25 financial year?
We're telling you as early as possible so that you have plenty of time to consider whether this will affect your training offer from August 2024. If you foresee budget implications for your department, you can raise these internally during the 2024/25 budget-setting window.
What about non-digital skills training?
We understand that Microsoft LinkedIn Learning is also used to support non-digital skills training (such as leadership and management). This change will expose a funding gap that has crept in since the platform was introduced in 2014.
For some Learning & Development (L&D) topics, there are groups in the central University or communities of practice you can speak to. For example, People and Organisational Development (POD) is developing a business case for a revised on-demand offer for Leadership and Management skills. Contact Kate De Ban for more information.
If you would like UAS to change support for your L&D activity, we recommend raising this with your HAF during the 2024/25 budget setting window.
Can I pay to retain access to specific courses in Microsoft LinkedIn Learning?
Possibly and we can help to facilitate this discussion with Microsoft LinkedIn Learning. Please submit the correct name(s) of the course(s) that you would like to retain using this form by 5.00pm on 9 February 2024. We will collate all requests, discuss options for continued access with LinkedIn, and get back to you about feasibility and price.
Can I take over the contract for Microsoft LinkedIn Learning?
Yes, please contact blaine.roissetter@it.ox.ac.uk for a discussion about how the subscription works, pricing and handover support.
Contact blaine.roissetter@it.ox.ac.uk if you have other questions about the forthcoming changes to our on-demand digital skills provision for the University.
