NAU is a Portuguese web platform for publishing and taking open or closed online courses in educational, scientific, cultural, and training subjects. Its catalog contains hundreds of courses from higher education institutions and public or private organizations, with mixed course formats. Learners who complete a course successfully receive an automatically generated participation certificate; these certificates generally confirm completion rather than professional qualifications or academic degrees. NAU offers a free plan, while paid access starts at €20, and business plans support organizational use. Eligible entities can publish open courses, restrict courses to defined audiences, or create a corporate academy, with ongoing technical and user support. NAU is a digital service of Portugal’s Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, developed by FCCN, and has operated since 2019. The learning system is based on Open edX and the marketing site on Richie.
Who it is for
NAU suits learners seeking online education and organizations publishing open, restricted, or corporate courses. It is particularly aimed at broad audiences and continuous learning in Portugal.
What is good
- Hundreds of courses
- Free plan available
- Certificates for completed courses
- Business and corporate academy options
- Mixed course formats
What to know first
- Certificates generally are not degrees or qualifications
- Website is only partially conformant
- Some videos lack captions or transcripts
- Paid access starts at €20
Verdict
NAU combines a broad Portuguese course catalog with learner certificates and organizational publishing tools. Its free plan supports entry, while paid access from €20 and business options address expanded use.
Compared on online course marketplaces
- Free plan
- Yes
- Course certificates
- Yes
- Business plans
- Yes
- Course formats
- mixed
