Online Distance Learning Unit

David Dewhurst, Steve Hillier, Jake Broadhurst

Online distance learning

• New activity• Meets University’s needs for expansion of PG

education, extra income generation, supporting research, competing globally

• Needs to be viewed as a business opportunity

• Need to improve infrastructural support for those developing new programmes and students

Online Distance Learning

• 2005 first programme launched - MSc Pain Management

• 2006 first graduates from an online programme - LLM Law

• Now 10 programmes across the University - 8 in MVM; 2 in HSS

Early Problems

• Validation hurdles• Infrastructure and support• Recruitment - lack of focused marketing

expertise• Unlocking fee income to support programme

development• Strategic planning• Lack of business development expertise

Online Distance Learning Unit• Proposal first suggested in early 2006• Aim: provide business-level support for online

distance learning courses• Discussed with all online programmes• Support from Principal and VP Chapman • Establish ODLU - small staff providing:

– Business development expertise– Focused marketing and market research expertise– Learning resources development– Administrative support

• Funding from waiver of central topslice • Taken to PSG January 2007

PSG Advice

• Generally supportive

• Agreed topslice waiver for 2y on new programmes

• ODLU located in existing cost centre - CMVM suggested

• Programmes could ‘contract in’ to service

CMVM Strategy Group

• Proposal to CSG April 2007

• High level support

• No new money - reliant on 20% waiver to fund initiative

• Established ODLU Management Group

• Proposal to recruit Marketing Manager approved