E-University developments
in Britain
Professor Paul Bacsich
Sheffield Hallam University
Great Britain
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Overview
– E-University theory
– The new UK e-University
– University for Industry
– The Open University response
– Oxbridge and the Russell Group
– New Universities
– Scotland
– Issues, analysis and conclusions
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E-University Theory - 1
Dimensions of Virtuality
Students
Staff
Buildings
IT
Modules
Legal
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E-University Theory - 2
Business Models
• Outsourcing
• Joint ventures
• Consortia...
• Broker models
• University-Corporate partnerships
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UK e-University - 1
www.hefce.ac.uk/News/
• student-orientated
• quality
• innovation
• flexibility
• cost-effectiveness
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UK e-University - 2
Structure and market
• Holding company collectively owned by HEIs
• Joint venture with corporate world
• Market:
– UK postgraduates and CPD
– corporate universities and businesses
– selected overseas markets – individuals,
companies or governments
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University for Industry - 1
www.ufiltd.co.uk
• Classic Broker model
• Oriented to colleges not universities
– e.g. adult literacy and numeracy
• Dirigiste
• Standardised technology and systems
• Fretwell-Downing “Learning Environment”
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University for Industry - 2
New Directions
• Bite-sized learning
• Online learning (I.e. Web not CD-ROM)
• Worldwide strategic partnerships
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UK Open University response
• “We will be an e-university too”
• 150,000 students online, via FirstClass
• One course has 13,000 students online
• Corporate University initiative
• US Open University subsidiary
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Oxbridge and Russell Group
• Cambridge-OU alliance for e-MBA
• Oxford with Stanford, Princeton, Yale
• Warwick??
• Universitas21: www.universitas21.org
– Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow,
Nottingham + worldwide
• Sheffield + US partners; etc etc
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New Universities
• Global University Alliance: www.unext.com
– Derby, Glamorgan + overseas
• Large new universities on their own:
– Sheffield Hallam: “Virtual Campus”: large
FirstClass site
– De Montfort: “Electronic Campus”
– Coventry: first large UK WebCT site
– Robert Gordons
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– Huddersfield: first UK Blackboard
site
Scotland
• University of Highlands and Islands
– consortium of colleges
• Scottish University for Industry:
– focus on linking learners to learning
opportunities
– “a broker and facilitator, providing
information, support, guidance, advice and
encouragement to learners”
– not chosen a standard MLE yet
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Issues - 1
• Learning System Standards
• Change Management
• Roles
– of consortia
– of “conventional institutions”
– of funding agencies (HEFCE, JISC, etc)
• Procurement of systems
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Issues - 2
New Procurement Paradigm
• “conversation” between customer and
supplier business models
• Generalised features:
– system information (such as architecture,
scalability, standards)
– user information (such as “industrialstrength” reference sites)
– “futures” information on pedagogy and
technology
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Issues - 3
Looking “beyond” HE and FE
• UK HE and FE models inadequately rich
• Must look “across borders”:
– at corporate U’s
– at schools
– at business models in e-business
– at US/Canadian/Far East HE models
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Issues - 4
Barriers to e-universities
– Lack of training in new technologies
– Lack of transparent tools
– Lack of compelling pedagogical evidence to
support a move to e-learning
– Lack of standards
– Lack of water-proof network: “net tone”
– (Lack of) Diffusion of innovators as well as
innovations?
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Issues - 5
Implementation errors
– An old or too young person is given the lead role
– R&D becomes more exciting than implementation
– Adoption/roll-out jump is badly done
– Periphery fights the centre
– An old-fashioned department gains control
– Funding dies out (EU beware)
– Lack of support from top management
– Lack of compelling positive vision
– Drift into technical management
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– Omitting to do constant awareness-raising
Thanks for listening
Professor Paul Bacsich
Virtual Campus Research Programme
Sheffield Hallam University
Great Britain
p.bacsich@shu.ac.uk
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