Distance Learning - What students like about it:
Save Money
What strikes me the most: Distance education programmes are often cheaper than their traditional counter parts
Easy Access
Starting an online programmes is literally just clicks away; no need to be physically present at all!
Interested? Find your Distance Learning Programmes: Start your search
Open courseware or how to study for free
Many universities deliver now courses for free. This is called open courseware or open educational resources. You will find them at undergraduate and graduate level or for continuous professional development. Sometimes they are enriched with discussion forums and self-assessment tools to check your study progress. These courses take you 1 to 100 hours of study. Also on YouTube and iTunesU, universities publish free material (video-recordings). All this contributes to informal learning.
In Europe, also open access (Open Access-publishing en free online scholarship) is supported by most universities. In open access repositories, a wide variety of research articles is published and freely accessible on line.
Both sources can help you as an individual learner to update your knowledge. Many students subsequently decide to take a formal course or to engage in CPD.
It may be expected that universities will combine these initiatives of informal learning on subject area or profession related portals to share knowledge systematically and to connect students with formal learning opportunities.
Universities in the spotlight
Cass Business School
London, United KingdomWe are committed to innovation and excellence across our educational programmes, research and services to business. We also apply a global approach to everything we do, from operating a dual campus in Dubai to service the Middle East, to delivering modules and study trips around the world and recruiting students and academics from diverse nationalities and backgrounds.
More informationCatholic University San Antonio Murcia
Murcia, SpainUCAM is a private Catholic university with 17 years of history and more than 10.500 students that offers 24 prominent European official graduations, 31 Master programs, 16 PhD programs and other prestigious titles.
More informationCharles University in Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS)
Prague, Czech RepublicThe Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS CU) is the second newest faculty of Charles University in Prague. The Faculty offers some of the highest quality Bachelors, Masters and PhD degree programmes in Central and Eastern Europe in all fields of social sciences. Many of our alumni continue their studies at top universities in the United States and the United Kingdom (Harvard, Columbia, LSE, Cambridge, etc.) or they succeed in competitions for highly qualified jobs.
More informationHanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen
Groningen, NetherlandsHanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen (Hanze UAS) is the largest University of Applied Sciences in the northern part of the Netherlands and is located in the vibrant student city Groningen.
More informationLaureate Online Education in Cooperation with Walden University
Amsterdam, NetherlandsFounded in 1970, Walden University is a global leader in student-centered online education. A regionally accredited institution in the United States, Walden University attracts a community of extraordinary students and faculty from around the world. The quality online programs feature nationally recognized experts and accomplished faculty members dedicated to upholding the universitys high academic standards.
More informationGeneral
- Video: Distance learning and employment
- Video: Easy access to a world full of education!
- Video: Finding your dream education!
- Video: How to promote your courses
- Video: Learn the flexible way
- Video: Save on costs not on quality
- Video: Top institutes at your fingertips
- Video: What is blended learning?
- Video: What is distance learning?
- Video: What is Online Education?
Study orientation
- 5 important criteria to choose a distance learning programme
- Benefits of OER and Open Courses
- Blended learning, e-learning and online learning: what’s important?
- Different degrees of openness – what is right for you?
- Distance Education for all - Master, Bachelor, PhD and continuous education
- Entry requirements and prior knowledge
- Epistemology of education offered
- Glossary - Everything you need to know on Open Distance Learning
- How do I know I will meet the expectations for distance education?
- Moocs - What exactly are they?
- Online MBA – your diploma, one click away
- Removing barriers to your learning activities
- Some examples of work-place learning at a distance
- Study Experience - Distance Learning in Communications and Journalism
- Study Experience - from lecturer to learner: Skirmante from Lithaunia
- Study Experience - keepings owns knowledge update
- Study Experiences - online education at OUC to cope with rapid changes
- The 6 Characteristics of Openness
- What are Open Universities?
- Why learning at a distance or online?
- Why Open education, Open Courses and OER might be the future of education
- Why studying from the distance?
Application and enrolment
- Distance Learning Experiences at Leicester University, UK
- How to apply for a Distance Learning Programme?
- How to recognize quality in distance education?
- Open admission – why admissions for distance learning is different
Cost and funding
- Distance Learning and costs
- MOOCs - online education for the masses!
- Open courseware or how to study for free
Everyday life as a DL student
- 'Acknowledgement of my acquired skills gave my studies a flying start'
- 'Adapt your studies to your personal circumstances'
- Combining study, work and life-experiences.
- Digital Learning Environment
- Distance Education in the UK - an intense, liberating and inspiring experience
- Distance Learning to grow personally and professionally
- Hacking the monsters that hold you from taking Distance Education
- How to successfully handle job and studies at the same time?
- Key Challenges in pursuing an online degree – the eight Cs
- Mixed media courseware in ODL
- Open Educational Resources and open media
- Psychological an biological factors influencing your study results
- Roberta studying online in Rome
- Student Experience: Economics and Business Administration
- Student Experience: Engineering
- Student Experience: Psychology
- Study Experience - Jan studying from the distance in Germany
- Study Experience - Joe encourages you to take the first step
- Study Experience - Studying online at OUC
- Study Experience from a working woman at OUC
- Study Experiences - Distance Learning in Law
- Study Experiences - Faniel's distance learning journey!
- Virtual mobility and international teaching and learning
Supervision, assessment, exams and grading
- Choosing the situation when and where you learn
- Connecting informal learning with formal learning
- Interaction and guidance in distance education
- Media supported interaction in teaching
- Personal Learning Environment
- Quality aspects of open and distance and on line learning
- Student satisfaction at the open universities
- Test, exams and assignment in distance education