The impact of the lockdown upon universities and students has been enormous, some sources even estimating the cost facing the higher education sector to be as high as £1bn. This has resulted in UK universities rushing to deliver their degrees online which most are ill prepared for. With the added financial pressure of tens of thousands of international students cancelling their studies, the importance of converting classroom training into high quality, high impact e-learning that doesn’t cost a fortune has never been more pressing.
According to Tim O’Shea, the former vice-chancellor of Edinburgh University and an expert in computer based learning, it could cost universities on average £10m to create five or six new online degree courses. Faced with such overwhelming costs during a time when universities could lose around £2.5bn next year, universities are under incredible strain to keep courses open and fulfil their responsibilities to their current student body.