Digital education is growing rapidly globally and transforming higher education. The University of Leeds supports students through campus-based, hybrid and fully online learning. It offers courses, modules and programs through various digital channels to provide a flexible experience. While online learning offers opportunities, there are also risks of inequality and exclusion if its growth is unequal. The prevalence of "unbundling" educational content is increasing partnerships between universities and private companies in higher education.

1. Reimagining
Higher
Education in the
digital age
Professor Neil
Morris
Dean of Digital
Education,
University of Leeds
Moscow
2018

2. The use of Digital Education to
support education and training is
growing rapidly across the globe.
Online learning is impacting on
all education sectors and
professional learning. Digital
Technology is becoming
ubiquitous in society and
expectations are growing for use
of digital technology in
education.
GLOBAL GROWTH IN DIGITAL EDUCATION
Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
01
262mstudents
in Higher Education by
2025
(up from 164m in 2009) OECD
Expected 13%
growth in CPD
online training,
within corporates
(RolandBerger)
24% growth in smart
education and learning
market between 2015-2020
(Research and Markets)
Self-paced eLearning
grew 55% in India
2010-2015 (Ambient
Insight)

3. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
02
OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED BY DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
Learning
Flexibility
Interaction
Collaboration
Digital skills
Employability
Globalisation Access
Sharing
Inclusiveness
Engagement
Motivation
Enjoyment
Literature on the impact
of digital technology
demonstrates the value it
can have to support
learning. Research also
shows that digital
education can enhance
learning outcomes.

4. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
03
PROBLEMS WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
Digital exclusion Inequality Technostress
Digital literaciesTechnocentricity
Literature demonstrates
how digital technology can
have unintended
consequences and create
problems.

5. The University of Leeds
caters for students studying
in multiple modes: campus-
based, hybrid and fully
online, at a variety of levels
of study.
SUPPORTING LEARNERS STUDYING IN MULTIPLE MODES
Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
04
Campus-based blended learning
(Undergraduate; Postgraduate)
Hybrid mode for work-based learning
(Continuous Professional Development)
Online Distance Learning (courses, modules
and programmes)

6. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
05
The University of Leeds
provides learning resources,
content, courses, modules
and programmes via a wide
range of digital education
channels, to support a
flexible and inclusive student
education experience.
DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS AT LEEDS
Available to Registered Students
Available to all learners
Online Courses
Individual Learning objects
Learning objects complementing face-to-face provision (Blended Learning)
TopHat

7. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
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SUPPORTING A DIVERSE POPULATION OF LEARNERS
The University of Leeds
offers online courses on a
range of online learning
platforms to a diverse
population of learners.
General
interest
Continuing
Professional
Development
Credit-bearing
University
taster
Academic skills
General public
Prospective students
Current students
Working professionals
Research
focused
Specialist audience

8. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
07
STANDALONE CREDIT-BEARING COURSES
The University of Leeds
offers standalone credit-
bearing courses at
undergraduate and
postgraduate level on
FutureLearn and Coursera.
These are used by
campus-based Leeds
students and external
learners.

9. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
08
PREPARING FOR AN UNBUNDLED FUTURE
Unbundling is the process of disaggregating educational
provision into its component parts likely for delivery by
multiple stakeholders, often using digital approaches and
which can result in rebundling.
An example of unbundled educational provision could be
a degree programme offered as individual standalone
modules available for credit via an online platform, to be
studied at the learners’ pace, in any order, on a pay-per-
module model, with academic content, tutoring and
support being offered by the awarding university, other
universities and a private company.
Web: http://unbundleduni.com/
Twitter: @unbundledHE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unbundledHE/
https://unbundleduni.com/

10. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
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IMPACT OF UNBUNDLING ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Partnerships between
universities and private
companies to create
online learning courses
are focussed around world
rankings. Some vocational
and technical universities
serving specific
communities of learners
may be left behind.
Swinnerton B, Ivancheva M, Coop T, Perrotta C, Morris NP, Swartz R, Czerniewicz L, Cliff A, Walji S. The Unbundled
University: Researching emerging models in an unequal landscape. Preliminary findings from fieldwork in South
Africa. Networked Learning 2018 Proceedings: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Networked
Learning 2018 , pp. 218-226.

11. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
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IMPACT OF UNBUNDLING ON HIGHER EDUCATION
The prevalence of
unbundling is rapidly
growing in the HE context.
The private sector is very
active in this area, and
relationships with HEIs are
growing, evolving and
shifting rapidly.
Academic staff have mixed
views about the value of
unbundling, and express
concern about the growing
marketisation of the HE
sector.
Students have growing
awareness of online
learning opportunities and
expect lower cost for
online study, but still
favour a campus-based
education experience.
Unbundled accredited
provision is increasingly
prevalent, offering
flexibility, choice and
access to learners, but
may be leaving some
behind and favouring elite
institutions, and well-
equipped learners.

12. Reimagining
Higher Education
in the digital age
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CONCLUSIONS
• Online learning continues to grow in popularity across the globe.
• Online learning offers opportunities for increased access,
flexibility and collaborative, social learning.
• Universities are increasingly integrated online learning into
campus-based learning experiences.
• There is significant growth of unbundling across the sector.
• Employer-led flexible learning threatens the traditional HE
model.
• There is a risk of inequality and exclusion from unequal growth of
online learning in the HE sector.
Professor Neil Morris
Dean of Digital Education,
University of Leeds
@neilmorrisleeds