The costs of alternative modes of delivery
Summary
This study looks at the costs of different modes of off-campus delivery of higher education. The main modes studied were foundation degrees, e-learning, distance learning, workplace learning, sandwich years-out, accreditation of prior experiential learning, and part-time study.
The purpose of the study was to identify the ways in which the recurrent costs of these modes, delivered in a relatively pure form, differ from conventional undergraduate learning. This remit meant that much of the e-learning and distance-learning in the sector, which is actually a component of a mixed-mode or blended learning experience, falls outside the study.
The aim of the study was to identify any implications for funding policy due to higher or lower costs than conventional delivery. Therefore a comparative costing method was used and the study does not attempt to calculate absolute costs per student for any of these modes. As for conventional learning, calculating absolute costs could be much more complex because of the probable need for academic time recording, and difficulties of apportioning infrastructure and central services costs in absolute terms to different modes of teaching.
The main work for the study was done through a series of institutional visits during the first part of 2003. Fourteen institutions covering pre- and post-1992 higher education institutions (HEIs) and further education colleges (FECs) were visited. They included institutions with very significant amounts of distance-learning, sandwich year-out or part-time provision. Visits or discussions were also conducted with a range of other organisations (HEIs, FECs, workplace providers, and e-learning platform providers).
The report is in two parts. The first part contains an overview that summarises the main findings and implications of the study, followed by a chapter on methodology, and then an overview of the characteristics common to all off-campus modes. The second part is a series of stand-alone chapters covering each of the seven modes studied.
Full definitions and details of the study for each of the modes of off-campus delivery are provided in technical appendices.
An update on HEFCE's response to the report is available.
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Last updated 11 September 2003