Why more Australian universities are outsourcing courses to for-profit providers

As courses go online, institutions are increasingly using external companies to deliver them, sparking concerns about quality and value for money

• ‘No actual teaching’: alarm over outsourced courses
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Australian universities have dramatically increased their use of third-party, for-profit companies to deliver courses, a Guardian investigation has found.

The companies, known as online program managers, or OPMs, offer a variety of services – from digital platforms for delivering courses through to total course management and support.