The UK e-University: An Overview of Available Resources

Key Resource, December 2005

UKeUniversities Worldwide (UKeU), an ambitious online university for the British higher education sector, was launched in 2000 at the height on the dotcom boom by then Secretary of State for Education, David Blunkett. It was envisaged as a way for UK higher education institutions to enter large-scale online delivery, penetrate overseas markets and offer more learning flexibility for domestic students. The UK government initially committed £62 million (this figure was later adjusted to £55 million) to the project, with the expectation that investment from the private sector would also be elicited. The first online courses were launched in March 2003, and by November 900 students had been recruited. However, with predicted enrolment figures of one million students by UKeU’s tenth year of operation, actual student take-up proved disappointing. In addition, private investment, seen as a key feature of UKeU’s business model had not been secured. As a consequence, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which had administered the funding on behalf of the government labelled UKeU unviable in April 2004 and closed the venture. The following is a collection of material relating to the UKeU project. The list provided is not comprehensive, but is intended to provide a brief overview of the major developments of the venture. Wherever possible, links to original documentation from the UKeU archives, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Department for Education and Skills (DfES), House of Commons Select Education and Skills Committee, and UK Parliament have been included, as well as media coverage from the Observatory and various news outlets. Most information is accessible free-of-charge, but some sites require a fee-based subscription.

2005

October

The UK government's response to the House of Commons Select Education and Skills Committee's 2004-2005 report on UKeU is made public.

Observatory coverage

• News Headlines, 24 October 2005.

 

September

UK Higher Education Academy (HEA) publishes 750 additional pages of of UKeU documentation produced between 2002 and 2005.

Observatory coverage

• The debate continues: The latest release of UKeU documents, 6 October 2005.

 

March

The UK House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Skills publishes its final report on UKeU.

HEFCE releases its strategy for e-learning. A week later, DfES publishes “Harnessing Technology: Transforming learning and children's services”. Both e-learning strategies appear to draw on lessons learned from the UKeU experience.

Observatory coverage

• The last chapter? UK Select Committee publishes final report on UK eUniversity, 6 March 2005.
• New UK strategies for e-learning are released – do they signal a major shift in the approach to online education?, 24 March 2005.

 

Related coverage

• UKeU was a 'disgraceful waste' of public money, Times Higher Education Supplement, 4 March 2005.

 

2004

November

UK Higher Education Academy (HEA) publishes the 'The e-University Compendium – Volume 1', a collection of UKeU related reports produced in the period between the initial announcement of the UKeU concept by David Blunkett in 2000, to 2002, when UKeU became operational.

Observatory coverage

• Badly advised, or failure to take good advice? Reflections on the publication of 'The e-University Compendium- Volume 1', 15 November 2004.
• The Real Story Behind the Failure of U.K. eUniversity, Educause Quarterly, 27(4), 2004.

 

April – June

HEFCE reports that steps are being taken to reduce UKeU staff and to transfer ongoing UKeU projects such as eChina and the e-Learning Insitute to relevant partner organisations.

UK House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Skills begins hearings on UKeU.

The UKeU platform developed by Sun Microsystems is put up for sale by HEFCE, but attracts no bidders.

Observatory coverage

• Update on the future of the UK eUniversity- finished as an independent organisation, but did it have to be this way?, 23 April 2004.
• What's the difference? Indelta and UKeU/Sun Microsystems LMS fall while Blackboard boasts early IPO success, 1 July 2004.

 

Related coverage

• UK eU waits to hear its fate, Times Higher Education Supplement, 23 April 2004.
• E-university set to be dismantled, The Guardian, 27 April 2004.
• EPlug is pulled on e-university, Times Higher Education Supplement, 30 April 2004.
• E-university 'lacked strategy for success', The Guardian, 26 May 2004.
• Commons committee to look into e-university crash, The Guardian, 8 June 2004.
• E is for error, The Guardian, 8 June 2004.
• 'Shameful waste' on e-university, BBC News, 9 June 2004.
• MPs to probe e-uni collapse, Times Higher Education Supplement, 11 June 2004.
• MPs attack e-university bonus payments, The Guardian, 23 June 2004.
• £50m bill for failed e-university, The Guardian, 23 June 2004.
• E-university bosses defend bonus payments, The Guardian, 21 July 2004.
• UKeU chief hits back, Times Higher Education Supplement, 23 July 2004.
• UK universities owed £2.8m in e-uni debacle, The Guardian, 26 July 2004.
• E-university creditors make net loss, The Guardian, 2 August 2004.
• The Real Story Behind the Failure of U.K. eUniversity, The Guardian, 2 August 2004.
• 'University for Industry' failed to attract private cash , The Guardian, 10 December 2004.

 

February

The Higher Education Funding Council for England announces that it will be reviewing its funding for UKeU in light of the venture's failure to meet its recruitment targets.

Related coverage

• Problems at e-learning university, BBC News, 27 February 2004.
• Hefce pulls the plug on UK e-university, The Guardian, 4 March 2004.
• Relaunch as e-flagship flounders in stormy seas, Times Higher Education Supplement, 5 March 2004.

 

2003

UKeU publishes its first annual report for the April 2002 to March 2003 financial year. Reported expenditures include £10 million spent on the development of the UKeU platform, £1.9 million in marketing costs and £2.1 million in operating and staff costs.

PA Consulting Group submits its business review of the eUniversity in December (related documents released to the public in 2005).

Related coverage

• E-university takes technology to market, Times Higher Education Supplement, 3 January 2003.
• Lessons from Hong Kong to Dubai, The Independent, 23 January 2003.
• Perfect platform for progress, Times Higher Education Supplement, 7 February 2003.
• UK colleges open doors online, BBC News, 8 February 2003.
• E-learning expert castigates UKeU for 'wasting taxpayers' money', Times Higher Education Supplement, 9 May 2003.
• Untangling the web, The Independent, 26 June 2003.
• Online bonus, e-ventually, Times Higher Education Supplement, 29 August 2003.
• E-learning launch, Times Higher Education Supplement, 31 October 2003.
• E-university attracts 900 students, The Guardian, 17 November 2003.

 

2002

December

UKeU releases of a number of white papers relating to its technological infrastructure and approach to online teaching and learning, as well as its plans to move into Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Middle East and Brazil.

Related coverage

• The great e-University challenge, The Independent, 12 December 2002.
• Back to home base, The Guardian, 17 December 2002.

 

July

UKeU makes a number of key staff appointments and selects the first of three pilot courses.

Related coverage

• e-University: further information, Higher Education Funding Council for England.

 

2001

The operating company UK eUniversities is established to market and deliver online courses. A holding company, eLearning Holding, Company Ltd., is formed by higher education institutions in the UK. Sun Microsystems is commissioned to developed the UKeU learning platform.

Related coverage

• e-University: further information, Higher Education Funding Council for England.

 

2000

October

The e-University business model is released.

Related coverage

• The e-university: will it go the way of the Dome?, The Independent, 26 October 2000.
• e-University Business Model and Consultation Report, Higher Education Funding Council for England.

 

February

David Blunkett announces e-University intiative. Refer to the related HEFCE Circular and press release for additional information on the project launch.