The Miami University AI Webinar Series was a successful partnership that promoted the university's online credentialing offerings and continuing education. This five-part online series targeted Miami University alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends. The free webinars complement Miami Online's virtual microlearning series. Faculty AI experts delivered one live webinar and one recorded lecture as a cohesive learning experience. Participants could also opt into the full AI Fundamentals micro-learning program for $30 to earn a recognized AI badge upon completion. Promoted primarily through email, the series paired free, accessible content with a low-cost credentialing pathway, lowering barriers to participation while creating a natural funnel into Miami Online's broader offerings. The series generated strong results: 1,165 total registrations, 920 live viewers, and another 3,000 post-event views. Most notably, over 500 participants paid for the AI Fundamentals certification.
From the Judges
This interesting and timely topic had a great conversion of series-viewers to paid, credentialed users. The focus on core discussions like ethics and the integration of AI into existing skills (like writing) seemed like a strong foundation for the continued growth of this program. A free-to-paid model of continuing education is a smart way for schools to deepen alumni engagement.
