Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC): A University without Distance

Published 01 Jan 2004
Reference 5197
Topic Strategy
Region Europe
Length 19 page(s)
Summary

Case Writers: Anne-Maire DE JONGHE and Eline VAN POECK Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) represents the case of a “green-field university” (a new start-up from scratch), a distance e-based university, located in Barcelona (Spain), which was able to use the specific regional context of higher education policy in Catalunya to embark on a rather unique strategy and establish a unique organizational model through which many of the obstacles encountered by traditional universities seem to be overcome. In so doing, its relevance reaches far beyond the world of distance education or e-learning and the geographical area of Catalunya or Spain.

Teaching objectives

This case study explores some of the issues, related to new strategies in traditional higher education as implemented by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). The case has been written for teaching purposes in the field of strategy and general management. It can be used for further reflection specifically focusing on higher education strategic and organisational issues. The issues of the case study are related to the challenges facing traditional higher education institutions.

Keywords
  • AR2004
  • AR0304
  • RD0304
  • UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
  • STRATEGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
  • E-LEARNING
  • GENERAL MANAGEMENT
  • NEW ENTRANTS IN TRADITIONAL SECTOR
  • STRATEGY AND ORGANISATION IN NON-PROFIT
  • NETWORK ORGANISATION