Virtual Universities — The Way Ahead?

Abstract

The Internet has been subject to massive growth in usage and popularity throughout the last decade of the twentieth century. Applications have evolved such that the Internet serves almost any business, organization or institution in many ways. Once the sole domain of academics and scientists, it is now simpler and cheaper than ever for individuals and businesses to go ‘online’. The expansion, development and interaction of the basic Internet applications have given rise to a communications tool with immense potential for utility and flexibility in the transfer of information from one-to-many and one-to-one. One of the areas in which these attributes could prove useful is higher education. The higher education sector comprises academic institutions, academic staff, service staff, current and potential students. Each of these groups is affected by the drive towards fully Internet-based ‘virtual universities’ and therefore should be consulted in the search for the ideal virtual educational solution. With this in mind, the author considers how the Internet could potentially benefit those in higher education in the years ahead.