Launching an Online Education Programme? 5 Questions and Recommendations from EAB Experts

All higher education institutions (regardless of whether they had an existing online education programme) pivoted to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was out of necessity rather than as part of a strategic decision. Even as institutions have returned to ‘business as usual,’ online education is here to stay.

As universities look to tap into new markets and adapt to the changing preferences of their existing student populations, an online education strategy is essential. Without a dedicated strategy, online education programmes can fail to get off the starting block. To help universities avoid misconceptions or false starts, EAB experts propose five questions to consider when designing an online education strategy and five change-management tenets that promote success.

This report is written for U.K. and European audiences, but these takeaways are still applicable to any higher education institution interested in launching online education courses and degrees.