The SCORE2020 project focused on (regional) support structures in the development and delivery of Open Education and especially of MOOCs. In total, thirteen intellectual outputs are available.

http://score2020.eadtu.eu/results

Introduction

MOOCs are complete courses offered for free online, meaning that participants do not have to pay for a full course experience: all of the resources and most of the services in such a course (e.g., feedback, tests, quizzes, exam and some limited tutoring). However, this raises the question: Who is paying for the development of MOOCs and for all the operational costs?

To answer that question, we need to look at possible business models that describe the conceptual structure supporting the viability of a business — i.e., how an organisation fulfils its purpose, including all business processes and policies. Business models can apply to any type of organisation, including at a governmental level.

Currently, the main questions linked to MOOCs range from the sustainability of their business model to their ability to generate meaningful credentials for career-oriented or lifelong learners. However, creating and analysing a general or ‘universal’ business model for MOOCs is difficult, if yet impossible. This is mainly due to the fact that several stakeholders are involved in the creation and the distribution of a course, as well as research and further services beyond the MOOC itself. The content of a course might come from a university, a company, a non-profit organisation or other parties. When it comes to the distribution, there are platforms that use content from external partners and generate revenue from issuing certification or additional services. Other platforms are either part of a higher education institution that provides the content or funded by a third party. Thus, the conceptual differences of these various content providers, platforms and other stakeholders make it difficult to establish a universal MOOC-model.

The document first briefly explains what the Regional Support Centres (RSC) on Open Education are and the set of functions they should support. It further elaborates on the business aspects of the RSC in order to simplify their establishment or improve their operations if they exist in the specified regions within European Union. This output introduces the main principles behind the business models of MOOCs at different stakeholder levels. The annexes describes different interpretations of these business models and discusses in more detail different models for (regional) support centres and the involvement of government in this.

The topics discussed within this document address the European or common context to all specified EU regions. Note that some elements of this SCORE2020 work are published as part of a chapter in the UNESCO-COL (2016). Making Sense of MOOCs: A Guide for Policy-Makers in Developing Countries. Business Canvas Models developed in the SCORE2020 project are re-used and applied by various regions.

Keywords

case study · freemium business model · government policy · higher education · Ireland · MOOC business model · MOOC costs · MOOC financial model · MOOC platforms · MOOC research · MOOC revenue · Norway · SCORE2020