Online Programme Delivery Partner

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, wishes to engage an experienced online programme delivery partner to support the University in adapting and delivering in an online mode those of its programmes for which there is latent high demand for such an offer. In doing so, the partner will support the University in its ambition to increase its student enrolments and tuition fee revenue.

The University requires a partner that has proven marketing, student recruitment, technical and pedagogical expertise and experience in the field of online higher education, including a track record in the UK. We seek a partner with a proven delivery model that meets the needs of students both in terms of flexible access to their chosen degree programme, utilising a carousel model of module and programme delivery that works across international time zones, and that enables a high quality online student experience that meets their academic needs.

We expect that partner to provide all required upfront financial investment for launching the online degrees and to operate a financial model whereby there is a 50/50 tuition fee revenue share with the University and to provide all necessary market research intelligence with regards to programme selection and tuition fee levels.

Queen Margaret University has as one of its strategic objectives the provision of an attractive, relevant and market responsive academic portfolio. We aim to achieve this through offering students a choice of methods of learning that are appropriate to students’ circumstances and make the best use of digital technologies to support that learning. Specifically, the University aims to extend its reach in domestic and international markets through delivering some of its core academic programmes in a high quality, accessible and affordable online mode.

To enable it to deliver on this objective, the University intends to engage an experienced online programme delivery partner to support the University in adapting and delivering in an online mode those of its programmes for which there is latent high demand for such an offer. In doing so, the partner will support the University in its ambition to increase its student enrolments and tuition fee revenue.

The University requires a partner that has proven marketing, student recruitment, technical and pedagogical expertise and experience in the field of online higher education, including a track record in the UK. We seek a partner with a proven delivery model that meets the needs of students both in terms of flexible access to their chosen degree programme, utilising a carousel model of module and programme delivery that works across international time zones, and that enables a high quality online student experience that meets their academic needs.

We expect that partner to:

• Operate a financial model whereby the partner provide all required upfront financial investment for launching the online degrees, including covering the cost of marketing, student recruitment, student retention, appropriate technology, and support for University staff in converting their modules and programmes into an online mode
• Operate a financial model whereby there is a 50/50 tuition fee revenue share with the University
• Lead the project management of the marketing, development and launch of the online programmes and be in a position to market, adapt and develop a programme for online launch quickly
• Provide market research intelligence, both domestic and international, to inform the University’s selection of its programmes for adaptation for delivery in an online mode, including the identification of potential new programmes with market potential where the University has the relevant expertise, and to inform recommended tuition fee levels
• Effectively market those programmes selected for online development
• Play the lead role in pre-enrolment student engagement and initial application sifting, ensuring students are suitably prepared for the demands of online learning
• Have a standard operating procedure that includes directly supporting academic staff to adapt their modules and programmes for online delivery and that, in so doing, develops the University’s staff understanding of the principles of high quality online pedagogy and learning design
• Have a model of online delivery and support that proactively maximises student retention, including through the use of data analytics and direct student support and intervention
• Offer a virtual learning environment that is intuitive for staff and student users and that supports effective learning design and high quality student engagement, as well as the option of the University using its existing VLE to deliver the selected online programmes
• Offer and support a smooth integration with the relevant University systems including Admissions and Student Records

-Allow Queen Margaret to retain the intellectual property rights for its modules and programmes developed as part of the partnership