UNSW Expands Digital Footprint with Keypath Education Partnership

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney has entered into a partnership with Keypath Education to launch a new fully online education suite for Master’s programs.

The University’s aim is to increase access to education globally through its flexible learning model, expanding its digital campus to cater for both offshore international students and full-fee paying students in Australia.

The business school has already redesigned more than 70 courses to be better suited for ‘blended delivery’, which streamlines the relationship between studying online and studying in the classroom. Business and engineering programs will be the first to experience the new online learning platform under the partnership, with more than 600 courses to be incorporated over the next five years.

The first group of fully online programs are expected to be launched as early as 2019.

“Our students need to be able to engage with other students, industry, and community groups or organisations all around the world, and our technology will enable them to do that,” UNSW Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoffrey Crisp said.

Postgraduate online learning is becoming increasingly attractive to mid-career professionals wanting to move into executive roles or new disciplines as they are balancing work, family life, and other commitments. Between 2011 and 2015, there was a 25% increase in postgraduate education online and the trend continues to grow.

Keypath is now one of the largest global online higher education enablers, supporting students in 62 countries with infrastructure that accommodates people from different backgrounds and demographics in a range of disciplines. It provides an end-to-end suite of services designed to help universities launch, market, and scale their online programs to reach profitability – and more students – faster and more effectively.

Keypath Education Global CEO Steve Fireng said UNSW Sydney and Keypath were working together towards a common goal.

“Our partnership with UNSW is exciting because our missions align.

“Students no longer have to attend a classroom to learn. Today, they can have that experience on their laptop or smartphone wherever they may be and interact with someone in another part of the world,” he said.

Keypath Education Australia & Asia-Pacific CEO said the need for seamless online education was vital because students weren’t comparing their online education experience to their experience on campus.

“They are comparing it to their online banking experience or their online real estate experience,” he said.

“So, if it isn’t as intuitive and user-friendly, flexible, and accessible as that, then they won’t have a quality experience learning online. We need to cater to that, and also ensure they are having a memorable and rewarding student experience.

“With UNSW we have the opportunity to take best-of-breed from an academic and university perspective, and … continue to push the boundaries of what can be done in online learning.”