Free online courses about Ebola organised by British universities will begin early next year.
One more basic programme will be aimed at the general public, and aims to "demystify" the disease, and a second advanced one will be aimed at healthcare workers.
Both two-week courses will look at the origins and history of Ebola and possible ways it could be contained and treated.
Dr Derek Gatherer, the lead educator on Lancaster University's course, which is aimed at the general public, said: "Ebola is a current and very emotive public health emergency, and one of the aims of our course is to demystify the disease for the general public and set out the facts.
"We also want to engage with and encourage new students who think that a career in biology or medicine might be for them."
The courses provided by FutureLearn, an online "social learning platform", are MOOCs, or "massive open online courses", and are open to anyone, with no cap on numbers.
They include practical activities including using software to analyse the virus and understand how difficult it is to diagnose.
They also have a social element, allowing students to discuss the material with each other and with teachers who will have expertise in areas including anthropology and epidemiology.
Participants will not receive any qualifications at the end of the courses.
The more scientific programme will be run by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Roxanne Escobales, spokeswoman for FutureLearn, said that the company expects NHS workers and even healthcare workers in affected countries to sign up for the course.
She said: "There is potential for people responding on the ground in Liberia to sign up for this and contribute their expertise that way."
Professor Peter Piot, director of the London School, co-discovered Ebola in Zaire in 1976.
Professor Judith Glynn, lead educator on the London course, said: "Many colleagues from the School - both staff and research students -- are now volunteering in Liberia and Sierra Leone with partners including Save the Children and Medecins Sans Frontieres, and providing support, training and advice to the World Health Organisation and other international agencies.
"We hope this course will be of interest to a broad audience, as well as workers in the field, and will also inspire people to learn more about infectious diseases, health systems and public health."
The Survivors: Portraits Of Liberians Who Recovered From Ebola
James and Tamah Mulbah(01 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor James Mulbah, 2, stands with his mother, Tamah Mulbah, 28, who also recovered from Ebola in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center, after a survivors' meeting on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Benetha Coleman(02 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Benetha Coleman, 24, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center after attending a survivors' meeting on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. She said that her husband and two children died due to the disease. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Jeremra Cooper(03 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Jeremra Cooper, 16, wipes his face from the heat while in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The 8th grade student said he lost six family members to the Ebola epidemic before coming down sick with the disease himself and being sent to the MSF center, where he recovered after one month. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Zaizay Mulbah and Mark Jerry(04 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivors Zaizay Mulbah, 34, and Mark Jerry, 30, right, stand together before their shifts as nurse's assistants at the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Jerry was a money changer and Mulbah a delivery driver before they caught the disease and went to the center, where they recovered. Doctors Without Borders hired them afterward to counsel and comfort others stricken by the disease. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Eric Forkpa(05 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Eric Forkpa, 23, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center after meeting with fellow survivors on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The college student, who is majoring in civil engineering, said he thinks he caught Ebola while caring for his sick uncle, who died of the disease. He spent 18 days at the center recovering from the virus. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Emanuel Jolo(06 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Emanuel Jolo, 19, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center after a survivors' meeting on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. The high school student lost six family members and believes he caught the disease while washing the body of his father, who died of Ebola. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Sontay Massaley(07 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Sontay Massaley, 37, smiles upon her release from the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. Massaley, who spent 8 days recovering from the disease in the center, said she worked as a vendor in a market before contracting the virus. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Victoria Masah(08 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Victoria Masah, 28, stands in the low-risk section of the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center on October 16, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. She said her husband and two children died of Ebola. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Abrahim Quota(09 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Abrahim Quota, 5, stands outside the JFK Ebola treatment center after recovering from the disease on October 13, 2014 in Monrovia, Liberia. He had arrived at the treatment center 10 days before with his parents, who both died there from the virus. The Ministry of Health was to deliver him home after his release to live with relatives. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Lassana Jabeteh(10 of10)
Open Image ModalEbola survivor Lassana Jabeteh, 36, smiles before his shift as a nurse's assistant at the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center on October 12, 2014 in Paynesville, Liberia. He said that he previously worked as a taxi driver and that he thinks he caught Ebola when he transported a sick policeman who vomited in his car on the way to the hospital. Doctors Without Borders hired Jabeteh after he recovered in their treatment center and he now counsels and comforts others stricken by the disease. (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)