The Benefits of Online Learning to Institutions Beyond the Coronavirus Crisis

Online learning has been crucial in allowing universities to function effectively during the coronavirus crisis. Here’s how online learning can also benefit your institution in the long term.

Online learning has steadily been establishing itself as a key player in the higher education experience, with students increasingly opting for a more flexible and personalized approach to their studies.

While the popularity of online learning has been growing steadily in the sector, the coronavirus outbreak has accelerated the implementation of virtual platforms at universities across the globe.

In fact, latest figures show that 98% of higher education institutions in the US have now moved the majority of their in-person classes online.

In the UK, Cambridge University recently made the decision to conduct all lectures online for the entire 2020/21 academic year, with the opportunity to host smaller teaching groups in person if they meet social distancing guidelines.

While the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus outbreak remains, most universities across the globe will continue to rely on online learning to varying degrees.

However, there are also significant advantages to implementing online learning at higher education institutions on a more long-term basis.

The most notable feature of online learning is that it provides prospective students with the option of attaining their degree remotely. This can have a significant and positive impact on an institution’s reach within both the international and domestic student markets.

Prospective international students who wish to attain a degree from an institution abroad can achieve this with an online degree while remaining in their home country.

For institutions, this provides greater scope in the global student market both during and in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic when potential barriers to international study, such as visa requirements and mobility restrictions, will remain.

Earlier this year, the Indian government announced that the country’s higher education institutions will now be able to offer fully online degrees. This decision was made to help “widen access to higher education and raise the profile of Indian institutions globally,” with the aim of contributing to student recruitment figures at institutions across the country.

The flexible nature of online learning also presents institutions with new student markets entirely. Without the rigid structure of on-campus study, students will find it much easier to study around their other commitments, such as childcare and employment.

According to a recent study by Learning House, 63% of students said the modality of online learning works best for their responsibilities.

There are of course challenges that universities will need to overcome if they wish to develop their online learning offering. For example, both staff and students need to be trained in the virtual learning platforms, which requires money and time.

However, if regular and considered efforts are made to encourage cooperation from staff and students, online learning has the potential to be incredibly advantageous to the higher education sector.

For a more detailed assessment of what online learning can offer institutions, please see our white paper: How Online Learning Can Strengthen Your Admissions Offering During COVID-19 and Beyond [insert link when live].

MoveIN is QS’ leading student applications and admissions management platform for higher education institutions and business schools worldwide. With MoveIN, your admissions team will be able to fully manage the student application journey online via customized portals and application forms, streamline processing of online student applications for an individual program or across an institution, and reduce workload by automating and simplifying steps for all stakeholders (admissions team, faculty, staff, and students).

To learn more about our platform, please visit the QS Unisolution website.