Following concerns about its financial future, Trinity’s online education service, which allows people to complete Trinity-specific, online-only courses, will be reformed and reimagined, with their services scaled back until a new strategy is implemented. Considering many online courses are available through many Universities like the University of Southern California for example, it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with a new strategy,
The College’s Finance Committee decided, at a meeting on December 19th, to scale back Trinity’s Online Education Strategy, “until a viable business case for the future of the strategy is approved”, with a revised business case due to be brought back to the committee in Hilary Term 2017.
The committee raised concerns about the “future financial viability” of online education, but did note that “a refresh of the Online Strategy is underway”. Numbers taking on courses, as well as income versus outcome, were highlighted at the meeting as causes for concern.
In an update at the February 8th meeting of Finance Committee, the committee welcomed the fact that commercialisation of the strategy was being explored in conjunction with the Commercial Revenue Unit.
The Commercial Revenue Unit was established in 2014 to carry out Trinity’s commercial services such as accommodation, catering, the Book of Kells exhibition and the Library Shop. They are concerned with the Trinity brand overall, and how students, staff and visitors view and value every aspect of Trinity.
Geraldine Ruane, Chief Operating Officer of the College, confirmed to The University Times that the Online Education strategy, in place since 2014, will be refreshed following a report that will be put together in the coming months.
“The report will consider how an Online Education Strategy can be continued and advanced at Trinity College in a sustainable manner and in this regard will inform the review requested by the Finance Committee”, Ruane continued.
In an email to The University Times, Ruane stated that she, along with members of her team in the corporate services division of the College, are “working closely” with the Vice-Provost/Chief Academic Officer, Prof Chris Morash, on a report that will “inform the refresh of the Online Strategy”.
This report will, according to Ruane, “consider how an Online Strategy can be continued and advanced in a sustainable manner” and, as such, will inform the review of the strategy that had been requested by the College’s finance committee.
Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) President Kieran McNulty, the student representative on Finance Committee, said, in an email to The University Times, that “the numbers taking the courses [provided through the strategy] are a concern”, but could not comment beyond that as to why a refresh of the strategy was deemed necessary.
Trinity’s Online Education was first started in 2014, with the offering of an online postgraduate Diploma in Applied Social Studies. Thirty seven students then graduated in the autumn of 2015. Today, online education offers five postgraduate courses, ranging from social studies to health care. They also offer three continuous professional diplomas – two in health care and one on legal studies for child protection.
Ruane pointed to the College’s schools working with the online team “to develop and deliver” continuous professional development courses, which provide “ongoing education and development” for members of professional organisations, “many” of which are fully subscribed, according to Ruane.
Trinity, in 2014, also launched three Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on Irish Lives in War and Revolution, which saw over 12,000 students take part. The other two are on ageing and exercise.
According to their website, over 46,000 people around the world have engaged with their online education courses.
Online education is delivered through live online tutorials, discussion forums, videos, podcasts and interactive presentations. Library access, peer support and academic support are also key parts of the experience.
The current strategy has received “excellent feedback from course participants for the quality of the course content and course delivery”, according to Ruane, who also said that “some students” have elected to further their postgraduate studies at Trinity “as a result of their online experience”.
