The UK鈥檚 distance learning university should start teaching students at its main campus to help ease its financial troubles, a sector expert has suggested.

The Open University, which has taught more than聽2 million students remotely since its creation in 1969, is currently considering cutting 拢30 million from its 拢420 million annual budget in response to a sector-wide collapse in part-time student numbers since 2012.

It also wants to increase revenues, including through its loss-making online degree platform聽Futurelearn,聽which aims to increase paid enrolments from 60,000 to聽1 million by 2025, according to recently announced聽聽to attract private equity investment.

However, Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, believes that the Open University should consider moving into traditional on-campus teaching at its Milton Keynes base while also continuing distance learning.

探花视频

鈥淎s other universities have muscled into the Open University鈥檚 patch of distance learning, it鈥檚 not unreasonable for them to think about diversifying too,鈥� said Mr Hillman.

鈥淭he Open University should not be doing any less of what it already does brilliantly, but universities are diversifying what they do all the time and there is a real appetite in this part of England for another more traditional campus university.鈥�

探花视频

Milton Keynes has been regarded as a higher education 鈥渃old spot鈥� for decades despite lying within 20 miles of the universities of Buckingham, Cranfield and Northampton. It has long desired a more traditional university and plans backed by the local council are under way to create a new university by 2023.

But diversifying the Open University鈥檚 substantial campus would be an easier win than building a university from scratch on a greenfield site, according to聽Mr Hillman.

鈥淚 have always been pleasantly surprised whenever I鈥檝e visited the Open University 鈥� it has cafes, research labs, formidable teaching expertise and is very respected, so seems very well placed to make what should not be an insurmountable transition,鈥� he said.

鈥淕iven the huge efforts over the years to get a university off the ground in Milton Keynes, it seems strange that this hasn鈥檛 been considered more seriously.鈥�

探花视频

It is believed that the idea has been mooted in the past, but ruled out because it was deemed too costly to build extra teaching rooms and student facilities.

鈥淭here鈥檚 always been a tacit agreement not to step on other universities鈥� toes, but maybe that doesn鈥檛 apply now,鈥� an Open University聽academic told聽探花视频. A university spokeswoman said that the institution was 鈥渘ot considering this idea and there are no plans to do so鈥�.

However, Mr Hillman said that the success of Coventry University鈥檚 鈥渘o-frills鈥� subsidiary college CU Coventry, which was opened in 2012, and Birkbeck, University of London鈥檚 three-year accelerated part-time degree showed universities could 鈥渄o more than one thing 鈥� and do them successfully鈥�.

鈥淲ith its strong reputation and history, it seems the Open University would have a massive head start over any new higher education provider seeking to establish itself in this area,鈥� said Mr Hillman.聽He added that given the search for new revenue streams, 鈥渕aybe the time is right to make this change鈥�.

探花视频

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com