diff --git a/course/externallib.php b/course/externallib.php
index e868841af4c..627a7dd1afb 100644
--- a/course/externallib.php
+++ b/course/externallib.php
@@ -2499,4 +2499,104 @@ class core_course_external extends external_api {
         return self::get_course_module_returns();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns description of method parameters
+     *
+     * @return external_function_parameters
+     * @since Moodle 3.2
+     */
+    public static function get_activities_overview_parameters() {
+        return new external_function_parameters(
+            array(
+                'courseids' => new external_multiple_structure(new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Course id.')),
+            )
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Return activities overview for the given courses.
+     *
+     * @param array $courseids a list of course ids
+     * @return array of warnings and the activities overview
+     * @since Moodle 3.2
+     * @throws moodle_exception
+     */
+    public static function get_activities_overview($courseids) {
+        global $USER;
+
+        // Parameter validation.
+        $params = self::validate_parameters(self::get_activities_overview_parameters(), array('courseids' => $courseids));
+        $courseoverviews = array();
+
+        list($courses, $warnings) = external_util::validate_courses($params['courseids']);
+
+        if (!empty($courses)) {
+            // Add lastaccess to each course (required by print_overview function).
+            // We need the complete user data, the ws server does not load a complete one.
+            $user = get_complete_user_data('id', $USER->id);
+            foreach ($courses as $course) {
+                if (isset($user->lastcourseaccess[$course->id])) {
+                    $course->lastaccess = $user->lastcourseaccess[$course->id];
+                } else {
+                    $course->lastaccess = 0;
+                }
+            }
+
+            $overviews = array();
+            if ($modules = get_plugin_list_with_function('mod', 'print_overview')) {
+                foreach ($modules as $fname) {
+                    $fname($courses, $overviews);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Format output.
+            foreach ($overviews as $courseid => $modules) {
+                $courseoverviews[$courseid]['id'] = $courseid;
+                $courseoverviews[$courseid]['overviews'] = array();
+
+                foreach ($modules as $modname => $overviewtext) {
+                    $courseoverviews[$courseid]['overviews'][] = array(
+                        'module' => $modname,
+                        'overviewtext' => $overviewtext // This text doesn't need formatting.
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        $result = array(
+            'courses' => $courseoverviews,
+            'warnings' => $warnings
+        );
+        return $result;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns description of method result value
+     *
+     * @return external_description
+     * @since Moodle 3.2
+     */
+    public static function get_activities_overview_returns() {
+        return new external_single_structure(
+            array(
+                'courses' => new external_multiple_structure(
+                    new external_single_structure(
+                        array(
+                            'id' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Course id'),
+                            'overviews' => new external_multiple_structure(
+                                new external_single_structure(
+                                    array(
+                                        'module' => new external_value(PARAM_PLUGIN, 'Module name'),
+                                        'overviewtext' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'Overview text'),
+                                    )
+                                )
+                            )
+                        )
+                    ), 'List of courses'
+                ),
+                'warnings' => new external_warnings()
+            )
+        );
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/course/tests/externallib_test.php b/course/tests/externallib_test.php
index 549b0545e6f..cdf7565d4d4 100644
--- a/course/tests/externallib_test.php
+++ b/course/tests/externallib_test.php
@@ -1670,4 +1670,47 @@ class core_course_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         }
 
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Test get_activities_overview
+     */
+    public function test_get_activities_overview() {
+        global $USER;
+
+        $this->resetAfterTest();
+        $course1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_course();
+        $course2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_course();
+
+        // Create a viewer user.
+        $viewer = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user((object) array('trackforums' => 1));
+        $this->getDataGenerator()->enrol_user($viewer->id, $course1->id);
+        $this->getDataGenerator()->enrol_user($viewer->id, $course2->id);
+
+        // Create two forums - one in each course.
+        $record = new stdClass();
+        $record->course = $course1->id;
+        $forum1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_module('forum', (object) array('course' => $course1->id));
+        $forum2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_module('forum', (object) array('course' => $course2->id));
+
+        $this->setAdminUser();
+        // A standard post in the forum.
+        $record = new stdClass();
+        $record->course = $course1->id;
+        $record->userid = $USER->id;
+        $record->forum = $forum1->id;
+        $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('mod_forum')->create_discussion($record);
+
+        $this->setUser($viewer->id);
+        $courses = array($course1->id , $course2->id);
+
+        $result = core_course_external::get_activities_overview($courses);
+        $result = external_api::clean_returnvalue(core_course_external::get_activities_overview_returns(), $result);
+
+        // There should be one entry for course1, and no others.
+        $this->assertCount(1, $result['courses']);
+        $this->assertEquals($course1->id, $result['courses'][0]['id']);
+        // Check expected overview data for the module.
+        $this->assertEquals('forum', $result['courses'][0]['overviews'][0]['module']);
+        $this->assertContains('1 total unread', $result['courses'][0]['overviews'][0]['overviewtext']);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/db/services.php b/lib/db/services.php
index 6428bec3182..94b2d35c474 100644
--- a/lib/db/services.php
+++ b/lib/db/services.php
@@ -293,6 +293,14 @@ $functions = array(
         'type' => 'write',
         'services' => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE),
     ),
+    'core_course_get_activities_overview' => array(
+        'classname' => 'core_course_external',
+        'methodname' => 'get_activities_overview',
+        'classpath' => 'course/externallib.php',
+        'description' => 'Return activities overview for the given courses.',
+        'type' => 'read',
+        'services' => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE),
+    ),
     'core_enrol_get_course_enrolment_methods' => array(
         'classname' => 'core_enrol_external',
         'methodname' => 'get_course_enrolment_methods',
diff --git a/version.php b/version.php
index 2d80898b366..c68af99da45 100644
--- a/version.php
+++ b/version.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
-$version  = 2016070100.00;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch.
+$version  = 2016070100.01;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch.
                                         //         RR    = release increments - 00 in DEV branches.
                                         //           .XX = incremental changes.