University of Liverpool/Laureate

The University of Liverpool launched its first wholly internet-based programme (an MSc in IT) in April 2000. Today there are 20 online programmes, with over 6,000 students registered from over 150 countries. Delivered in partnership with Laureate Online Education, the programmes are targeted at working professionals in the disciplines of IT, management, health, law and psychology. The first research degree, a Doctorate in Business Administration, was launched in the autumn of 2010.

The pedagogical approach of the programmes ensures that students continuously engage on specific tasks and interact with their peers and teachers. Many students are in full-time employment and are keen to support and collaborate with their colleagues. They bring to the virtual classroom a wide range of experience and multicultural perspectives. Students work together in an asynchronous manner, encouraged by instructors through moderated discussion as part of the seminar structure.

Seminars rather than lectures are pre-eminent, in contrast to traditional on-campus teaching. Held once a week, seminars generally consist of discussion questions and debate between students and the instructor, focused on particular themes. They are supported by textbook and journal readings, and a range of other written text or audio-visual materials. Equally important is the rapid response by instructors to grade assessments and provision of student feedback within one week, monitoring and encouraging student progress.

This continuous interaction between student and instructor provides authenticity to the learning process. Experience and knowledge are shared, while the prescription of a rigorous grading criteria helps to verify student identity. The guaranteed involvement of students overcomes isolation and alienation, which are often experienced in distance learning programmes. With high levels of student support, the university is able to identify the points when students encounter problems. Individual student characteristics emerge as they learn, while the use of tools such as plagiarism detection software supports academic honesty across the programme.

The university has received many positive comments from external examiners about the programmes and the learning experience has often exceeded expectations of students and aided career development. This has helped to overcome the prejudice and preconceptions about online learning – particularly that it can be impersonal and alienating, linked to misleading notions of bulk processing, low costs and therefore low standards. With a very high student-staff ratio, costs tend to be about the same as on-campus programmes.

In recent years, external accreditation agencies have acknowledged online programme standards. They have also witnessed the experience of students who have shown how online learning can actually be more intellectually stimulating than many traditional lecture-based programmes. The MBA programme received the European Foundation for Management Development technology enhanced status, while most recently the MSc Operations and Supply Chain Management programme was accredited by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply. The university anticipates further development in the accreditation of online programmes as best practice is shared among providers.

The partnership with Laureate is considered to be important strategically and brings together two organisations with different cultures. Clear demarcation of roles overcomes any ambiguity about where responsibilities lie. The university has final control over all academic matters. All on-campus structures and standards are replicated and standard procedures for each programme ensure all QAA guidelines are adhered to strictly. One of the main objectives of the partnership has been met: comparability of quality and of esteem between online and on-campus programmes.