Skillsoft pairs with edX to link academic & job skills

Skillsoft has struck a strategic partnership with edX that will place edX's university and company course catalogue inside Skillsoft's Percipio platform.

The tie-up adds edX content, including instructor-led executive education programmes, to the learning catalogue that Skillsoft customers access through Percipio. edX operates as an online education provider from 2U and works with universities and other institutions on course delivery.

The companies said the integration links university-led education with workforce skills data inside Skillsoft's platform. They positioned the move as a response to changing skills demand driven by AI and shifting job requirements.

Course catalogue

edX's catalogue includes courses and programmes from universities and companies. The release referenced Australian institutions including the Australian National University, the University of Adelaide, and Curtin University.

It also cited global institutions that partner with 2U, including the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School, Harvard University, and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

edX offers executive education, professional certificates, microcredentials, and advanced-level courses. Subject areas include AI, cybersecurity, business leadership, and management, according to the companies.

Skillsoft said customers will access this content through Percipio. The company described Percipio as its platform for learning and skills development.

Skills linkage

The companies said organisations face pressure to assess current workforce skills and plan future requirements. They said many employers lack visibility into skills gaps and struggle to link learning activity with business outcomes.

Skillsoft cited its 2025 Global Skills Intelligence Survey. It said only 10% of HR and learning leaders surveyed felt fully confident their workforce has the skills needed to meet business goals over the next 12 to 24 months.

The partners said the integration fits into a broader approach that tracks skills development beyond the completion of a course. They framed this as a way to connect learning activity to workforce planning and performance.

"The future of work will be defined by how effectively organisations connect skills to the way work actually gets done," said Ron Hovsepian, Chief Executive Officer, Skillsoft. "Skillsoft connects learning to how skills are identified, developed, and applied across the enterprise. Our platform is designed for open ecosystems, so customers can integrate the learning, data, and tools they trust. Partnerships like edX strengthen that approach by bringing high-quality academic learning directly into an ongoing skills ecosystem that supports long-term workforce readiness."

Skillsoft said it has focused on building an ecosystem model that allows integration of third-party learning and tools. The company also said it aims to link learning content with skills intelligence and workforce insight.

Matthew Glitzer, Chief Revenue Officer at Skillsoft, described the integration as part of a continuous learning approach. "Learning delivers the most value when it stays connected to how skills are built and used across the organisation," said Glitzer. "By integrating edX programs into the Skillsoft platform, customers gain access to trusted academic learning that fits into a continuous skills journey, supporting stronger adoption, improved retention, and better alignment with business priorities."

2U partnership

2U said the agreement extends distribution for edX content into workplace learning environments where Skillsoft has an established customer base.

"This partnership expands the reach of high-quality learning into the workplace, where it can have immediate and meaningful impact on both individuals and organisations," added Andy Morgan, Chief Partnerships Officer, 2U. "By joining forces with Skillsoft, we are making it easier for companies to access learning opportunities on edX through the Skillsoft platform, while opening the door for our university partners to reach more learners with world-class education."

The companies said the edX catalogue will sit alongside Skillsoft learning content within Percipio. They also said the integration links academic programmes with enterprise skills priorities in the platform.

Skillsoft trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SKIL. The company said it serves thousands of organisations and supports more than 105 million learners globally.

Skillsoft said customers will be able to discover edX courses and programmes on the Skillsoft Percipio platform.