Warning sounded over online courses

As Universities UK ponders whether higher education is at a digital crossroads.

Today sees the publication of "Massive open online courses: higher education’s digital moment?", which concludes that "it is too early to say if MOOCS represent a fundamental game-changer for traditional providers of higher education, or to predict how individual universities might have to adapt". It will be launched at an event organised by Universities UK, a vice-chancellors’ lobby group, in London.

David Willetts, universities and science minister, gave a speech to the Higher Education Policy Institute yesterday that has been posted online. Mr Willetts argued that the predicted cost to the taxpayer of the student support system will change at least twice a year and that students are right to demand that universities deliver what they promise in their prospectuses. He also announced a £50 million fund to spur economic growth and praised a report, published by his department, that attempts to identify the efficient use of research funds.