Struggling to get your head around the Scottish referendum and its wider implications?  The University of Edinburgh has launched a free six-week online courseExternal link to help people better understand the issues behind the vote.

'Towards Scottish Independence? Understanding the Referendum' is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) being offered by the university. The course, which started on August 25, is free and open to anyone.

It provides background information on the Scottish independence referendum to be held on September 18. It also features online debates and video presentations and regular opinion polls on voting trends.

Professor Charlie Jeffery, who is leading the course, told the BBC: "We will place learners at the heart of the referendum question by examining arguments for and against independence, with lively debate guided by university academics.”

"We will also ensure a distinct international dimension, by examining implications for other nations and regions whose populations have expressed desire for greater autonomy, including Catalonia, Flanders and Quebec."

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