Birkbeck unveils new short courses for autumn 2025

Birkbeck’s Innovation Unit has launched an exciting new range of short courses, aimed at professional learners seeking high-quality, academically informed content with practical relevance. The launch follows more than a year of market research, business development and collaboration with academic staff to design course content that is both inspiring and responsive to industry needs.

The courses are part of a broader mission to make Birkbeck’s expertise more accessible to external audiences. With a focus on professional development, the offerings are set to enhance career opportunities, bring academic insight into the workplace and encourage engagement with creative and specialist topics. Most of the courses will run for the first time in autumn 2025.

Three initial themes have been developed: Executive Education, Counselling and Psychotherapy, and Creative Industries. Each provides expert-led teaching shaped by academic research and tailored to modern professional contexts. These programmes reflect the Innovation Unit’s belief in delivering relevant knowledge that resonates beyond the classroom.

In addition to the open short courses, the Unit has the capacity to design bespoke training for specific organisations, having already delivered a few successful tailored programmes to date. Looking ahead, further courses are expected to launch in areas such as sustainability and cybersecurity in 2026 and 2027.

Andy Colley, Deputy Director of Innovation, said:
“Our short courses and executive education make innovation at Birkbeck more accessible to individuals and businesses. They’re designed for immediate impact and unlocking long-term external engagement, opening doors into research collaboration, supporting student employability, and bringing Birkbeck to new audiences.”

Find out more information on how to register onto these upcoming courses below.