Welcome to the CC Training Center

A photo of children playing with a rainbow parachute during a summer camp activity is framed by a blue blog and layered with a burst of pink

"Play, Learn, Serve, Work Summer Camp Program - Ecosystem activity" from the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area is in the public domain.

The information landscape is changing fast, reshaping the ways people engage with knowledge. Navigating this shift takes more than good intentions. It takes preparation. Our courses provide key insights and practical applications to ensure participants achieve CC credentialed expertise in open licensing, knowledge management, and the commons.

Choose your path: our current CC Certificate or our new training courses and the new CC Certificate Pathway.

  • CC Certificate

    Our established 10-week certification. Final courses, in this format, are scheduled for September 2026, and January and June 2027.

    Learn more

  • New CC Training Courses

    Free and paid courses offer a flexible way to learn. Take assessments and earn badges as a new way to earn your CC Certificate starting February 2027.

    Learn more

New CC Training Courses and CC Certificate Pathway 

There are many ways to build your expertise. Choose your own adventure between free training, paid courses, earning individual badges, or earning multiple badges towards a CC Certificate. Whether you are curious about the fundamentals of copyright and CC licensing, CC training courses can help you:

CC’s training courses range from 1 hour to 2 weeks and focus on the most relevant, up-to-date content to help you navigate today’s evolving digital world. Courses are generally asynchronous. Some are available on-demand. Others follow a set schedule with weekly deadlines.

  1. CC Certification New Pathway

    This is our new pathway to earning your CC Certificate, course pages launching February 2027. Looking for our current program instead? Cohorts are open now for September 2026 and January & June 2027.

    Each badge of completion can be earned as a standalone badge, or combined to work toward your full CC Certificate. Are you just interested in just the training and don’t need a badge? Check out our Free Training tab. 

    The CC Certificate is made up of three badges: 

    • Foundations Badge
    • Focus Badges
      • CC Licenses: Beyond the Basics (required)
      • CC for Higher Education (elective option 1) OR
      • CC for Open Heritage (elective option 2)

    Foundations Badge

    Earn your Foundations Badge by taking the two free, on-demand courses below followed by the paid Foundations Assessment. The Foundations Assessment is required to move on to the focus courses. 

    • Copyright Basics
    • CC Licensing Basics

    Already know the basics of copyright and CC licensing? Skip straight to the paid Foundations Assessment. 

    Focus Badge: Beyond the Basics

    Build on your foundational knowledge with the CC Licenses: Beyond the Basics course (required). This course will introduce you to the full suite of CC Licenses, their terms, and how to use them.

    • CC Licenses: Beyond the Basics course

    Focus Elective Badge
    Now that you understand the CC licenses and the basics of copyright, learn how to apply your knowledge to your work! Choose one elective course to earn your Focus Elective Badge and complete your CC Certificate!

    • CC for Higher Education
    • CC for Cultural Heritage

    More electives are in development. Check back for additional options.

    Advanced CC Certificate Courses
    Coming in 2027/2028!

  2. Course Schedule and Registration

    Our first Course Pathways offerings launch February 2027. Full schedule, registration details, and links will be posted here by October 2026.

    Looking for the current CC Certificate program? [Cohorts are open now]

  3. Free Trainings

    Foundation Courses are open to anyone, free of charge, and available on-demand. Want these to count toward your CC Certificate? See the Certification Pathway tab for how Foundation Courses lead to your Foundations Badge.

    • Copyright Basics 
    • CC Licensing Basics

    Explore more free resources below! All content is free and licensed CC BY 4.0. Use, adapt, and share these resources.

  4. FAQs and Additional Information

    Coming soon

“This course removed a lot of the uncertainty I had around open licensing. It turned something that felt complex into something practical and achievable. What stood out most was the network I built along the way. Through my final assignment, I connected with people working in open access across the sector. Conversations I simply would not have had otherwise. It’s given me the confidence to start thinking about how this could be applied in my own organisation.” —Donna Slattery

Bring a Custom CC Training to Your Organization

For institutions and communities seeking tailored support, CC partners with institutions around the world to offer customizable training programs in flexible formats.

Examples include:

  • Training webinars
  • Government policy workshops
  • Train-the-trainer programs for sustained local impact
  • Strengthening institutional policies and workflows
  • Cohort-based courses
  • Regional intensives and trainings

To explore opportunities or request training, contact us. We’d love to collaborate.

Request a Custom Program
The painting

"Chakrasamvara with His Consort Vajravarahi," here cropped, is in the public domain.

"The Creative Commons Certificate and other CC trainings give educators, librarians, and other Open advocates the confidence in using and promoting open licenses. From librarians that gain an understanding of copyright and how to teach others about CC license options to educators who can confidently select the right CC license for their OER, the outcomes of CC trainings are a vital component in advancing Open initiatives on campuses." —Colorado Board of Higher Education

We’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the leading open organizations globally. 

Logos of the US Department of State, Heritage Fund, Hewlett Foundation, Open Educational Resources Initiative, Colorado Department of Higher Education, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and the Republic of Estonia Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications

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