Universities believe that they do not have business expertise and technical knowledge on the handling the online classes, so they move to Online Program Managements (OPMs).

FREMONT, CA: As most universities began converting traditional courses into online programs, they recognized that they lacked the expertise required to make a successful online transition. For universities, many online courses do not thrive at engaging students and delivering strong learning outcomes. The issues made organizations discover that they had no technical or business expertise to leap into an online class.

As a result, most of the universities turned to Online Program Managements (OPMs) to create and administer the delivery of the online programs. However, outsourcing digital education has its downside too.

Loss of Future Internal Capacity

Outsourcing online programs serve as a short term solution to a long term situation. The OPM company covers the initial cost for putting the programs in place and running, so that might sound a bit attractive for institutions. In the long run, relying upon an outside source pinpoints to the internal capacity of an organization not being developed.

With the increase of online education rising in the higher education space, universities need to be serious and not just see the instruction as a bonus. To make the leap and scale up the digital programs, colleges need to put in place the institutional expertise in all the fields related to online education.

Another significant factor to consider is that outsourcing digital instruction is in a way outsourcing the mission of the organization. Many universities pride themselves in class and quality learning, along with a focus on the relationship between students and professors. The basis of pride is taken away when institutions decide to work with an OPM.

Culture Clash

Often the case is that universities are on the lookout for an OPM because they want to increase enrollment or get a particular online program. The idea puts colleges at a disadvantage when they turn up against the financial expertise of a prominent OPM executive. The design is easy for the university’s mission to get lost when things such as the cost of the acquisition and return on investment come into the picture.

There are many instances where universities use the collaboration with an OPM in a way, which has ended up being beneficial. Nevertheless, the process also makes organizational officials step up and take ownership of creating online programs.