Since 2015, the digital education of the Institut Pasteur has been spreading science worldwide. Here’s a look back at a collective adventure that has already trained over 250,000 learners and transformed the way we share knowledge about infectious diseases.
Telling Science to the World: A 135-Year Legacy
The story began in 1889, just one year after the opening of the Institut Pasteur. Émile Roux gave his first course on "microbial techniques," gathering scientists from all over the world. This founding act already embodied a clear ambition: to share knowledge to address global public health challenges.
Today, this commitment to excellence and knowledge sharing remains at the heart of our mission. Every year, more than 900 young scientists and professionals from nearly 80 countries train through the 40 Pasteur Courses offered at our Education Center.
And for ten years now, a new door has opened: digital education. Thanks to MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), this scientific excellence now travels without borders, accessible to everyone, anytime, anywhere.
Launched in 2015 in partnership with CNAM on the France Université Numérique platform, our first MOOC was part of a bold approach: to disseminate science differently, for free, and on a large scale.
Why? Because scientific knowledge should never remain confined to laboratories. We mobilized a passionate team to create these online courses. The result: an interactive, comprehensive, and accessible learning experience, designed for undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, post-doctoral students, professionals, and all science enthusiasts.
Ten years later, this vision has grown worldwide, making the Institut Pasteur a pioneer in digital health education.
A Decade of Shared Science
Over the years, our teams have designed, filmed, edited, hosted, and distributed 21 MOOCs, totaling:
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650 videos
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3 900 multiple-choice questions
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450 experts involved
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42 course directors
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60 community managers
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Over 250,000 learners from 190 countries
These MOOCs cover a wide range of infectious diseases and life sciences: viruses, bacteria, parasites, immunology, epidemiology, social sciences, modeling, and much more.
This journey has been built step by step:
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2015: Launch of the Vaccinology MOOC
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2016–2017: Deployment of MOOCs on immunology, medical entomology, biomarkers...
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2019: Creation of the Digital Diploma in Infectious Diseases, awarded after passing 5 MOOCs, certifying strong skills in infectious diseases.
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2020–2021: Diversification during the pandemic, with courses on emerging viruses, modeling, clinical trials, etc.
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2023: Launch of BOOCs (downloadable PDF courses in French) allowing learners to access content offline.
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2023–2024: New topics and updates to existing MOOCs.
Behind Each MOOC: A Team, a Vision, a Commitment
Creating a MOOC is not just about putting videos online.
It’s about designing a complete learning journey: content, quizzes, activities, forums, resources, interactions...
Each course is the result of coordinated work by a close-knit team: scientists, educational engineers, audiovisual teams, community managers.
We write. We film. We edit. We subtitle. We improve.
And most importantly: behind every MOOC is a team supporting learners every step of the way.
Learners: At the Heart of Everything
Our MOOCs bring together people of all ages and backgrounds, with one thing in common: a passion for understanding life.
Learners studying at home, in labs, on the subway, during night shifts, or from isolated villages. Like Ngariri, who crossed a border and rode more than six hours by motorcycle to take his exam. Fatima, who expressed her joy in her village after earning her certification. And Jean-Pierre, who kept learning with us until the very end of his life.
Who better to speak about it:
An Adventure Made Possible Thanks to Our Partners
For ten years, the Institut Pasteur’s MOOCs have existed thanks to a unique model: a blend of internal expertise, academic collaborations, and philanthropy.
We would like to thank all the institutions, companies, and donors who have enabled:
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The creation of new MOOCs
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Course updates
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Redistribution on FUN and internationally
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Funding exams for learners with limited resources
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Production of new video content
Supporting MOOCs means supporting the global dissemination of scientific knowledge.
Three ways to help:
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Sponsor a MOOC to enable its update and redistribution
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Co-create a course with our experts on a public health topic
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Fund exams for learners from disadvantaged regions
A Collective Adventure, Huge Thanks to Everyone
This unique journey has been possible thanks to the commitment of everyone involved: passionate experts, motivated learners, partners, and the entire team working daily to bring these MOOCs to life.
To all of you, we extend our heartfelt thanks.
We are only just beginning.
The mission remains the same as in 1889: to share science everywhere, with all those who need it.