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Hugo Sarrazin's announcement email clearly stated the following:

"we have agreed to combine with Coursera to create a leading technology platform"

There it is. If you're not tech you're out. And if you're not sure look at your revenue graph over the last 12 months. If you have seen a steady decline in your revenue then this is likely the last station for your Udemy journey. They'll make up the content shortfall through the merger. They've been setting this in place for some time now and we're just the last to know.

"Big News!" is an understatement. Thanks for letting us know about this. Obviously, from a business perspective, this makes a lot of sense; you can even say it is a great match.

Now obviously, any change of this size is uncomfortable, so thanks for the FAQ based on what is known at this point. The sad thing is that the Udemy brand will disappear. 😥

I want to remain positive and get excited about what the future will bring. If the combined company is successful, we will be part of that success!

Please keep us updated throughout the process with any developments that are relevant.

Thanks @ZaneVella for the information and the FAQ. If anything I am surprised it did not happen sooner with Coursera or LinkedIn or someone. This is a good move for the companies. Will see how it impacts instructors. I remember when ChatGPT exploded on the scene, Udemy crushed Coursera with its time to market and getting many quality courses out fast. Well, not Udemy…its Instructors, but Udemy provided some very key ingredients. A strong platform, marketing support, and the belief that anyone can make a course then let the market decide. I certainly benefited from that. I am very glad for you and Hugo being as transparent as you can be. I do not post much and for those who know me I have always been very pro Udemy even as my revenue felt under pressure. I thought to myself…maybe if Udemy ever does cease to exist I will be the last one to turn the lights off. 😊In late 2026 that will happen which makes me sad but my hope is that a new combined company light will shine.

Always keep in mind that these big mergers are solely to benefit the stakeholders. Remember, Udemy already takes half of the revenue we make on their platform. Unless instructors make $ 70 off every $100 spent, this will only benefit the stakeholders. If the customer does not pay $100, the instructor should receive 70% of the purchase price, with no strings attached.

As Udemy is merging with Coursera, Coursera will hold a 59% stake, meaning it will own Udemy. This was a financial move; it was not meant to give instructors on the Udemy platform more money. We will see how it plays out, but more than likely, things will not get better for instructors; they will extort us the same way as Udemy does.

There should be no pricing match, price tier, etc. If I list my course for $100, I should get $70 off the deal, and the platform receives $30. These platforms make money off subscriptions, $30 or $50 per month, with lifetime access to a course. Instructors should be able to set their own access and pricing options with no strings attached. Instructors should get $70 off every $100 spent, and that's it. Any other structure is scamming the instructors.

Well…we asked for some big, bold move…something to move the needle…and, here we go….not exactly what I expected, but it makes sense…let's see…good luck to all of us!

Valued Instructors,

I’m excited to share an exciting milestone: Udemy and Coursera have agreed to combine to create a leading technology platform, redefining skills discovery, development, and mastery for learners and organizations at scale.

This combination will bring together two complementary strengths — your industry-leading, skills-based content and Coursera’s deep academic and partner network — to better serve learners around the world.

The key message I want to emphasize is that the instructor marketplace that made Udemy what it is today will continue to be a foundational part of the combined business. Your expertise, agility, and teaching excellence remain essential to our vision moving forward.

What This Means for Instructors

A significantly larger audience

Your content will gain access to Coursera’s 191M+ registered learners, expanding your global reach and impact.

Complementary strengths

Your high-quality, practitioner-led instruction, combined with Coursera’s academic and industry-partner catalog, will create a comprehensive learning ecosystem.

Greater global footprint

Together, we will be even better positioned to reach learners across more geographies, languages, and skill areas.

Accelerated innovation

With combined resources, we’ll be better able to sustain investment in durable growth, rapid product development, and improved platform capabilities—especially in human-led, AI-powered tools that help instructors create, engage, and grow. 

Why I’m Excited

Udemy and Coursera share a compelling vision for the future of human-led, AI-powered education and a mission to meet the growing global demand for upskilling. With greater reach, expanded resources, and highly complementary strengths, the opportunity ahead is not only significant—it’s inspiring.

Thank you all for being such an incredible part of this journey. Can't wait to see where we go together with Coursera!

Resources:

Joint Website: https://www.courseraandudemy.com/

Press Release

For additional important information about the transaction, please read this link: udemy-combines-with-coursera/legends

Welp… I suppose this will either be really good for instructors or really bad. Not sure there will be an in-between.

It will at least force my hand. I’ll either return to building or it will force me out completely.