The University of New England’s reputation as a national leader in Distance Education has been strengthened with a new partnership with the University of Western Sydney.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Annabelle Duncan said the cross-institutional enrolment agreement allows UWS students to undertake pre-approved UNE Distance Education units and these will count towards their qualification at UWS.

“This partnership gives UWS students access to more unit options and the flexibility to undertake some of their subjects via Distance Education.
“At UNE we have a proud history of Distance Education and it is an area we are constantly improving to ensure we continue to offer the best study options for our students.

“We are excited about our new partnership with UWS and look forward to providing their students with our exceptional Distance Education experience,” Professor Duncan said.

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The University of New England has joined forces with Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, in a significant boost to the university’s aspiration to be the nation’s highest quality provider of online courses.

The deal, which is the first of its kind in Australia, is aimed at increasing the number and quality of UNE’s online offerings, increasing student numbers and making significant inroads into the increasingly competitive online market.

UNE Vice-Chancellor Jim Barber said UNE is excited about being part of this bold and innovative arrangement with Pearson.

“UNE has a history of excellence in providing Distance Education and by working with Pearson, a global company with a great understanding of distance and online education services, we believe we can continue that proud tradition,” Professor Barber said.

“The deal aims to deliver an improved learning experience for students, an increased ability for UNE to meet the growing demand in online learning and a transformative response to the Commonwealth Government’s reform initiatives.

“Under the arrangement Pearson will convert a number of UNE courses to their Learning Management System LearningStudio, and provide an enhanced online educational experience. They will also broaden our market reach,” Professor Barber said.

“Importantly, UNE staff will continue to write all course material, teach all courses and retain all academic control,” Professor Barber said

UNE Chancellor Richard Torbay said with the combination of high quality offerings in an online environment and improved market access, he was confident UNE will have the tools to grow and succeed into the future.

Pearson Australia’s Chief Executive Officer David Barnett, said his company is delighted to be involved in this groundbreaking partnership.

“This is an exciting opportunity for both Pearson and UNE and is a great example of the immense power of technology to improve the learning experience.

“Pearson is known for offering best in class learning products and for over 15 years, we have also been creating many of the most successful online learning programs in the world. By utilising Pearson LearningStudio, UNE will be able to create an innovative online program that will provide a high quality student experience.

“The Pearson team is extremely proud to be part of this landmark deal and we look forward to playing a key role in the growth and development of UNE,” Mr Barnett said.

A number of courses will be offered under this arrangement across 2012.

Professor Barber said to assist in the online learning push UNE has appointed renowned e-learning expert Dr Michael Crock, as the new Pro-Vice Chancellor for Educational Innovation and Technology.

“This newly created position will provide strategic leadership and effective use of educational technologies. The expertise Dr Crock brings to this role will give UNE a competitive advantage over its on-line learning competitors.

Dr Crock is currently at Open Universities Australia and will commence in his new role at UNE in February 2012.

“Dr Crock’s appointment and the deal with Pearson underline the fact UNE is positioning itself as a leader in online learning,” Professor Barber said.

The University of New England has repositioned itself at the forefront of distance education in Australia through a deal agreed between UNE and the international education services provider Pearson on Sunday.

The partnership entails world-standard delivery and marketing of UNE online courses throughout the nation and overseas. It is the first partnership of its kind in the tertiary sector outside the United States.

It will provide a guaranteed revenue stream for the University and is expected to increase external student numbers each year.

Through the partnership with the University, Pearson will make its online systems and marketing expertise available to enhance the way UNE delivers its distance education course material.

The UNE Council has also approved the first step towards a staged upgrade of the residential colleges on campus through further partnership agreements with the private sector.

Robb College will be the first to undergo extensive re-development with expressions of interest to be called for this week. All 190 rooms at the College will be upgraded.

The Chancellor, Dr Richard Torbay, said the two deals were integral to the University’s Strategic Plan, which received unanimous support at Sunday’s Council meeting. “We are back at the top of the game, and it’s an exciting development for the University based on two of its outstanding features – distance education and the residential college system,” he said.  “Bringing the colleges up to date will attract greater numbers of internal students to Armidale.

“Through the partnership with Pearson we can grow UNE’s proven excellence in delivering distance education. We will have greater numbers of external students, and that will create more academic and other staff positions in the long term.”

The Chancellor emphasised that UNE would continue to control all course content and academic standards, and that there would be no job losses on the campus as a result of the agreement.

“In effect, it means that the University’s five-star rating for student satisfaction will now be matched by a platform for delivery in the very competitive national and international online environment,” he said. “The competition in the public and private tertiary sector is fierce and the uncertainty surrounding enrolments with next year’s deregulation of the market has created a lot of nervousness.”

The Chancellor said that Council was confident UNE could withstand the challenge by building on its existing strengths through world-class online course delivery and a rounded university education experience through the residential college system.

Pearson is the world’s leading education company. From pre-school to vocational, university and professional studies, its curriculum materials, multimedia learning tools and testing programs help to educate more than 100 million people worldwide.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows the Chancellor of UNE, Dr Richard Torbay (right), with the Chief Executive Officer of Pearson Australia, Mr David Barnett.