ISD AcademyInstitute for Social Dialogue

Institute for Social Dialogue

ISD Academy

Shared knowledge. Stronger communities.

Free short courses for communities, workers, companies and government, so that everyone at the table understands mining and renewable energy the same way and has the skills to lead. On your phone, in your language.

New here? Register free to save your progress.

  • 26free courses
  • 10South African languages
  • 18minutes a module
  • R0for every learner

Real places, real questions

Every module opens with a story from a community like yours.

  • Mineworkers walk out through the mine gate at the end of the last shift, the headgear behind them.
  • A farmer leans on a fence on a green hillside above a village.
  • A woman walks to her field of young mealies at sunrise, a hoe on her shoulder.
  • Villagers gather under a marula tree for a community meeting.
  • An older man walks his cattle along a misty hillside path.
  • Children play in a dusty schoolyard on a clear morning.

How it works

Every module, four steps. Eighteen minutes.

Short enough for a taxi ride or a lunch break. Each course has four or five modules.

  1. Introduction

    2 minutes

    A short story from a South African community sets up the question the module answers.

  2. Learn

    11 minutes

    Plain-language lessons with animated drawings, read aloud by South African voices.

  3. Play

    3 minutes

    A short game where you make the choices and see what follows.

  4. Check and Act

    2 minutes

    A few questions, then one practical step to take in your own community.

Free for every learner

No fees, ever. Register with your name and an email address.

In your language

English and nine more South African languages, with narration in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu.

Share with one link

Send any module to family, neighbours or colleagues by WhatsApp, SMS or email.

Pick up where you left off

Your place is saved as you go, so you can stop at any time and carry on later.

Courses

Start anywhere.

Mining School

See all 14

Renewable Energy School

See all 9

Leadership School

See all 3

Fair to everyone at the table.

The Academy speaks to communities, workers, companies and government alike. Sponsors fund facilitated community training sessions and are named publicly on every programme they fund. They never approve, edit or remove content, and they see only anonymous, combined statistics.

Questions? Email info@isd.org.za.

Work with us

Training for the communities where you operate.

Companies and funders partner with ISD on training and capacity building for their host communities and workforce, with facilitated community sessions and courses in local languages.

Partner with ISD

ISD Academy: Shared knowledge. Stronger communities.