New York, November 2005 - With online enrollments experiencing a 38 percent growth rate in 2004, Hezel Associates predicts the global online higher education market will exceed $69 billion within the next ten years. At a time when many U.S. institutions are looking to build a bridge to the international arena and explore new markets for enrollment growth, other countries face a shortage of higher education campuses and student seats.
In an effort to improve quality, South Korea has revealed plans to reduce both the number of national universities and number of students enrolling. In India, higher education has not kept up with the growing economy, and the curricula of the Indian universities do not match the needs of the growing economic base.
According to Richard Hezel, president of Hezel Associates, "While most countries now have a system of free public education in addition to private institutions, a gap in opportunity still exists." As a result, thousands of students from countries such as China, South Korea, and India study in the United States or Europe. "These countries may be ripe to import online learning," said Hezel.
One element of successful development of a global presence is closely considering and understanding the potential in any given market. Each country has a unique set of environmental factors that shape the opportunity, such as demographics, economy, technology, and education.
Another element of a successful global expansion is an internal in-depth analysis. The institution must be willing and able to respond to global market needs. Analyzing the strength of existing relationships on the higher education global market can lead to even stronger partnerships, which are critical for success.
Hezel Associates' newest white paper explores various aspects of the issues. It is entitled "Developing a Global eLearning Program: From Conceptualization to Implementation".
