As the world continues to navigate the health and economic challenges of Covid-19, international education has also experienced a seismic shift, grappling with the ways in which it can continue to deliver education with borders remaining closed in many parts of the world.
Sustaining international education is critical. It provides opportunity and development to students across the world, enriches our societies with a diversity of culture and language, and brings significant economic value to education destinations. It is New Zealand’s fourth biggest and Australia’s third-largest export.
“Covid-19 has required the education sector to rethink how it meets the needs of international students”
Covid-19 has required the education sector to rethink how it meets the needs of international students in a drastically changing global landscape.
Facing into lockdown, UP Education quickly moved to digital delivery across its entire business operations, allowing its 14,500 students to continue their learning without interruption.
The launch of fully online foundation studies programmes for new and current international students, allowed international students to commence or continue their study from their home country.
During this time, 120 new students from China, Korea, Oman, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, commenced their pathway studies online.
Another 300 international students are set to begin their pathway learning online with UP Education in July.
While borders remaining closed this has proven to be a highly effective way for students to continue or begin preparation for an English-speaking university in Australia and New Zealand.
Students don’t have to delay their study plans, and they are well placed to continue their study or pathway into university study in New Zealand or Australia when borders open.
The shift by necessity to online-only learning during Covid-19 has ignited a change in education delivery and one that is likely to stick. In a world where face-to-face delivery is no longer always possible, edtech allows students to continue to access education, and control how they study.
To meet the demands and requirements of the new global education landscape, UP Education has invested in a multi-million-dollar digital e-learning platform providing customisable end-to-end online learning solutions.
With a proprietary human-centred Learning Management System it provides a leading-edge learning experience for students, underpinned by powerful predictive analytics allowing educators to deliver industry-leading online education outcomes.
While online learning isn’t a new concept, online learning ecosystems that meet the needs and expectations of digital natives are.
Digital natives don’t compare their online education with other education providers. They are comparing their experience with their financial apps and other online sources of content.
“Edtech allows students to continue to access education, and control how they study”
Providing a PDF behind a password encrypted portal augmented with the occasional video call simply won’t cut it.
This is why UP Education has sharply focused its online offering on a mobile-first, responsive interface that allows students to learn anywhere, on any device with bite-sized content that delivers a truly online learning experience.
AI will be leveraged to motivate, engage and support students, personalising their learning at scale. This is no longer the future of online learning – it is the best in class online learning of today.
The challenge the education sector now faces in this reshaped world is how to best seize the online opportunity, ensuring universal access to education and creating immersive online learning experiences where digital natives can thrive and achieve, wherever they are in the world.
Leading the university partnerships team for UP Education across Australia and New Zealand, Marnie Watson has an unrelenting focus on exceeding university, student and partner expectations. With 23 years’ experience in international education, Marnie has successfully led teams in up to 40 regional offices around the world.
