Over half of UAE learners report salary increases,

Nearly 9 in 10 use online learning to transform their careers

Coursera, Inc. (NYSE: COUR), a leading global online learning platform, today released the 2025 Learner Outcomes Report, created in collaboration with The Harris Poll. The report highlights how individuals in the UAE are leveraging online learning to achieve meaningful professional and personal growth.

A strong majority of UAE learners (87%) enrolled in Coursera with the goal of transforming their careers, primarily to advance in their current job or field.

Data from Coursera reveal that 89% of UAE learners achieved a positive career outcome after completing a course on the platform. Among these learners, 52% reported a salary increase, 34% improved their performance at work, and 30% advanced to a higher job level.

The report also demonstrates the personal benefits of online learning. Nearly all UAE learners (96%) noted increased confidence, and 95% cited other personal gains, including greater self-assurance in their ability to learn, a stronger sense of accomplishment, and new opportunities for career growth. Learners also developed or improved key soft skills, including Critical Thinking (70%), Problem Solving (70%), and Collaboration (68%).

In addition, UAE learners strengthened in-demand technical skills essential for the future of work, showing significant progress in Business Intelligence (79%), Project Management (73%), Data Analysis (71%), and AI (68%).

“The 2025 Learner Outcomes Report underscores the significant impact of online learning on the professional and personal development of learners in the UAE,” said Kais Zribi, Coursera’s General Manager for the Middle East and Africa. “The findings show that flexible, accessible learning is translating directly into tangible outcomes and helping shape a skilled, innovative, and future-ready workforce aligned with the nation’s long-term vision.”

The report further highlights the promise of Coursera Coach, the platform’s AI-powered personalized learning guide, in enhancing the learning journey. Globally, 94% of learners who used Coach reported an improved learning experience, pointing to its ability to simplify complex concepts, deepen engagement with course content, and enhance retention.

The 2025 Learner Outcomes Report provides encouraging evidence that by combining trusted content from leading universities and companies with innovative learning tools, Coursera can help learners in the UAE, and around the world, build the skills needed for sustainable success and growth.

To download:

https://www.coursera.org/explore/learner-outcomes.