Appendix 13. Stakeholder Map
Appendix 14. Table with benchmarking findings for International Exchange Alumni platform by US Foreign Ministry
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General information Overview, type of
provider Nnational alumni platform for alumni of U.S. government exchange programs
Vision:
Offering a service for alumni to build on their exchange experiences, network with fellow alumni, find grants and funding opportunities, and participate in alumni-only competitions.
User, target audience current participants and alumni of U.S. governmentfunded and -facilitated exchange programs
Reason for choosing as
benchmarking partner Vision and target group are comparable to that of the Alumniportal Deutschland.
Compared to other existing national alumni portals this portal has the most comprehensive educational offers.
Benchmarking aspects Setup of website [structure, navigation, search]
The “Enabling Entrepreneurs” section is part of the main website of the portal.
Different resources and formats are listed and the respective areas can be unfolded for more information.
Search for information on the site with search input window is (not very effective).
Structure and navigation are not very clear.
Design very simple, a bit old-school, nothing fancy mostly text, sometimes accompanied by pictures Mobile version, app no mobile version or app available
Offers, formats annual entrepreneurs summit, handbook, calculator for start-up costs, online course, access to a leaning center, videos (mentor talks) and other resources
some offers are tailored to special alumni groups/ segments, e.g.
women, African alumni etc.
Content, topics Thematic focus quite narrow:
mostly focusing on entrepreneurship, business, and innovation some offers are in the field of career building and professional development
Costs, compulsory contributions by users [registration, data, fees]
offers are free-of-charge
an account is needed to access the network and some of the resources and grant information
Information, provided
material small explanatory text for every offer
some or more informative than other, sometimes one has to dig deeper to find more information
Certain information is only accessible for registered members.
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Interactivity A social network/ community component for registered users is available.
The learning offers don’t seem to be linked to the community.
The learning offers themselves don’t seem to be very interactive Certificates, credits,
degrees no credits or particular certifications available Support services,
feedback options FAQ page and possibility to contact the organization Quality of offers
[currency, expertise of lecturers]
a compilation of different resources the U.S. government has created to support entrepreneurship
offers generally seem to be of good quality and relevant to those interested in entrepreneurship
Conclusion Positive:
- various formats and resources around a given topic
- alumni know what they can come to the platform for and what to expect from the digital learning offers
Negative:
- not very interactive, few opportunities for exchange - old-school design and low clarity and usability
- users have to sort through the offers themselves without much additional support
Sources https://alumni.state.gov
https://alumni.state.gov/alumni-news/alumni-entrepreneurs https://alumni.state.gov/enabling-entrepreneurs
https://alumni.state.gov/contact-us
Appendix 15. Table with benchmarking findings for School of Continuing and Lifelong Learning, National University of Singapore (NUS)
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General information Overview, type of
provider University
Vision:
A leading global Continuing and Lifelong Education partner building the future workforce, providing individuals with the latest knowledge and skills demanded in today’s digital workplace.
User, target audience NUS Alumni, the general public, executives and corporations.
The NUS L³ program is meant for NUS alumni and offers them skills-based and industry-relevant courses.
The NUS CET500 has been curated for the general public and comprises skills-based and industry-relevant courses (with up to 90% subsidy).
Reason for choosing as
benchmarking partner an innovative lifelong learning initiative for alumni and others by one of Asia’s flagship universities
The comprehensive, long-term program is a big step and a bold initiative. In the NUS L³ program, student enrolment is valid for 20 years from the point of undergraduate/postgraduate admission.
NUS programs for alumni learning generated a strong positive response
Benchmarking aspects Setup of website
[structure, navigation, search]
The structure is quite clear and allows to browse through the offers according to categories (skills and competencies as well as specialist fields/ faculties).
The website of the NUS L³ program only allows to search for content with google search, the CET500 certificates and courses can be searched and filtered by different criteria [area of interest, training unit, type, level, availability, funding].
The website and course finder part are quite user-friendly.
Design simple and straight-forward
functional search option, that allows an effective search for particular courses
nothing fancy
Mobile version, app no mobile version or app available Offers, formats short (1-5 days) and long courses
courses on a modular basis certificate courses
Content, topics Two categories:
- technical skills and competencies - generic skills and competencies Costs, compulsory
contribution by users [registration, data, fees]
fees depend on the type of course possible to get funding
Information, provided
material clear information on course details, e.g. course objectives, entry requirements, class schedule, lesson delivery
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Interactivity no interactivity on the website, but the courses seem to be interactive
lessons are delivered in different forms, like facilitated learning, projects, and assessment
Certificates, credits,
degrees certificate courses available in various specialist fields Support services,
feedback options possibility to contact organizers by email and telephone Quality of offers
[currency, expertise of lecturers]
high quality, offers come from a high-ranked university courses are skills-based and industry-relevant
Conclusion positive:
- website is easy to use and intuitively understandable - offers a great variety of high quality courses
negative:
- high costs without alumni discounts or special funding Sources https://scale.nus.edu.sg/programmes/lifelong-learning
https://scale.nus.edu.sg/programmes/lifelong-learning/alumni https://scale.nus.edu.sg/programmes/lifelong-learning/cet500 http://www.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/annual-report/nus-annualreport-2020.pdf?t=NUS_AR_201007
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/lifelong-learning-scheme-to-be-open-to-all-nus-alumni
Appendix 16. Table with benchmarking findings for Lifelong Learning Section of Wharton University
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General information Overview, type of
provider an Ivy-League private business school, founded in 1881
world’s oldest collegiate school of business with comprehensive offers for its alumni
Wharton counts around 99,000 alumni and 77 alumni clubs spread across 153 countries.
LLL section with the motto “Learn. Empower. Innovate.”
mission:
Lifelong Learning serves Wharton and Penn alumni throughout their professional lives with extraordinary resources — online, on campus, and in regions worldwide.
User, target audience primarily Wharton and Penn alumni
some online courses are free and available to anyone Reason for choosing
as benchmarking partner
prestigious and high-ranked university comprehensive offer with different formats modern and appealing design
Benchmarking aspects Setup of website [structure, navigation, search]
Navigation is clear and user-friendly, but there is no search function available.
Users have to scroll through different types of sources to see what is available.
Some courses are integrated in different sections than the LLL section.
Design modern and fancy setup
easy to scroll through
Mobile version, app no mobile version or app available Offers, formats online and offline formats
different formats, such as forums, web seminars, reunions, executive education, on demand learning, and online courses
Content, topics narrow topical focus
business-oriented, focused on entrepreneurship and business skills, management and strategy, innovation and finance
Costs, compulsory contribution by users [registration, data, fees]
most courses require a fee, some are free of charge for alumni webinars are available for all registered alumni for free Information, provided
material the front page gives basic information on different formats users have to click through the sites to learn more
course details (like content and relevance) are available
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Interactivity no interactivity on the website
There is an alumni community (MyPenn), but it is not observable if the online learning offers are connected with the online community.
The courses and other offers themselves seem to be interactive.
Certificates, credits,
degrees certificate courses available Support services,
feedback options organizers can be contacted via email or telephone Quality of offers
[currency, expertise of lecturers]
high quality offers from a high-ranked university high currency and applicability
Conclusion Positive:
- high quality, exclusive nature
- comprehensive offer with different formats - modern and appealing design
- thematic focus: alumni know what they can expect Negative:
- narrow topical focus: business-focused and money-oriented in comparison to others
- the information is spread around the website and its different sections and layers and not always easy to find
- not inclusive and accessible for everyone
Sources https://alumni.wharton.upenn.edu/resources/lifelonglearning https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/university-of-pennsylvania-01194
https://alumni.wharton.upenn.edu/alumni-resources/
https://online.wharton.upenn.edu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wharton_School_of_the_University_of_
Pennsylvania
Appendix 17. Table with benchmarking findings for Coursera
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General information Overview, type of
provider an American MOOC provider founded in 2012
works with universities, colleges, governments and other organizations/ businesses: more than 200 partners across 29 countries (as of December 2019)
73 million users (as of November 2020)
3 languages: Greek, English, Spanish MOOC, commercial provider mission:
Coursera's mission is to provide universal access to the world's best education. We are committed to maintaining access to our website and mobile applications to all of our learners, including those with disabilities.
User, target audience Individuals
companies (Coursera for Business, an enterprise product was launched in July 2016)
universities (Coursera for Campus was launched in 2019)
governments and NGOs (Coursera for Governments & Nonprofits was launched in January 2017)
Reason for choosing as benchmarking partner
within top5 of providers for digital learning in the member survey
one of the largest MOOC platforms worldwide with courses from renowned universities
Benchmarking aspects Setup of website [structure,
navigation, search]
navigation is easy and user-friendly
allows to browse offers based on learning goals, categories or degrees search for courses with search input window
selection of most popular courses is presented on the main page FAQs for each category
link to further offers in other areas/ categories at the bottom of the page Design landing page appears modern, colorful, and professional
mostly stock photos, real user photos for testimonials
pictures in course descriptions partly not of high quality, partly graphics/
animated pictures instead of photos Mobile version, app Coursera app for iOs and Android available
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Offers, formats 3,900+ courses & specializations, 13+ professional certificates, 20+
degrees & MasterTrack certificates
short courses (4-12 weeks with one to two hours of video lectures a week): courses provide learning materials, quizzes, exercises, peer-graded and reviewed assignments, optional honours assignment and sometimes a final project or exam. Courses are provided on-demand, in which case users can take their time in completing the course with all of the material available at once.
fully online degree courses including bachelor's and master's qualifications in various domains
short, guided projects
Content, topics 11 main categories: Arts and Humanities, Economy, Computer Science.
Data Processing, Information Technology, Health, Math and Logic, Personal Development, Physics and Engineering, Social Sciences, Languages
Costs, compulsory contribution by users [registration, data, fees]
fees to earn grades and assessment for the vast majority of courses that are part of specializations
some courses are free, but certificates/ credentials are only available for a fee
Coursera account needed to the pricing information
courses are available on a subscription basis or for individual purchase Information,
provided material Clear and comprehensive information in the course catalogue: in addition to general course information and details on lecturers, it also shows the number of people who registered for the course, user ratings, career outcomes of those who have completed the course
real user testimonials on landing page
Interactivity there is a global student community, which allows to receive feedback from other learners
some courses are self-paced, self-studying courses, other seem to be more interactive
Certificates, credits,
degrees credit and degree courses available
many single courses without certificates for free
specializations certificates, and credentials available for a fee Support services,
feedback options FAQ and chat with organizers in the help center personalized recommendations
peer assessment, feedback from learner community Quality of offers
[currency, expertise of lecturers]
offers many high quality courses from top universities in the U.S. and Europe
the level of instructions and the variety of learning activities appear to be high
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Conclusion Positive:
- broad and comprehensive offer, many courses are high quality - there seems to be something for everyone
- clear navigation, user-friendly website
- learners can apply what they have learned in tests and practical projects at their own pace and receive feedback from a global student community
Negative:
- more and more paid offers over time, costs not always obvious - some courses seem to be a bit superficial and not so rich in
content
sources https://www.coursera.org/
https://learner.coursera.help/hc/en-us https://de.coursera.org/browse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coursera#cite_note-5
Appendix 18. Table with benchmarking findings for LinkedIn Learning
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General information Overview, type of
provider commercial provider: eLearning portal on a professional networking platform
Vision:
creating economic opportunities for all members of the global job market Objectives:
Supporting companies in training employees and offering them the skill sets needed in times of digital transformation and global macro trends.
“Assist employees in adapting to a rapidly changing world of work:
members use the network to shape their professional life, further educate themselves, exchange knowledge, take part in discussions, discover different perspectives, stay up to date and to find a new job or to be found.”
User, target
audience Individuals, companies, HEI, libraries, government agencies Reason for
choosing as benchmarking
partner
LinkedIn is the leading platform for professional networking and one of the largest job platforms worldwide (worldwide growth in member numbers and turnover, as well as 27 percent increase of user engagement from 2018 to 2019)
within top5 of providers for digital learning in the member survey Benchmarking aspects
Setup of website [structure,
navigation, search]
popular videos and courses in specific areas are displayed in galleries search for courses with search input window
information shown for each item: teaser picture, format, lengths, number of users
Design simple design, not very modern
mostly graphics and animated pictures, few photos
Mobile version, app mobile apps for iOS and Android phones and tablets available Offers, formats over 16,000 expert-led courses and video tutorials in 7 languages
learning paths for a structured learning experience transitioning into a new field
courses can be selected by individuals or recommended by employers to employees: LinkedIn’s analytics allows to monitor employees progress
Content, topics focus on professional development in 3 core areas with various sub topics: Business Topics, Technology Topics, Creative Topics
something available for people of most occupations
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Costs, compulsory contribution by users [registration, data, fees]
a LinkedIn account is needed to access the learning content
learning function is not free unless you have a “Premium Career” or
“Premium Business” premium membership prices for monthly and annual subscriptions possibility to buy eLearning courses individually Information,
provided material Comprehensive information available: course details, detailed agenda, information on speaker(s), transcripts, learning goals and details on skills that are covered by the course, links to related offers, FAQ
Interactivity The learning function is partly integrated into the career network:
users can directly see lecturers LinkedIn profiles and assess their experience and qualities
learners can choose to directly display the knowledge gained through learning activities in their LinkedIn profile
organizations can share their own or third-party learning content within the network
videos and courses allow for communication with the lecturer and other learners (at least via comments)
Certificates, credits,
degrees after completion of an online course, learners can decide whether the knowledge gained should be added to their LinkedIn profiles
certificates available, but not recognized
courses for preparation of professional certification exams and continuing education units (CEUs) available
Support services, feedback options FAQ
possibility to contact lecturers and organizers personalized recommendations
Quality of offers [currency, expertise of lecturers]
courses are created by professional lecturers, entrepreneurs, and professors
most offers seem to be of high quality, but some appear to be very basic new offers every month, but some courses appear to be outdated Conclusion Positive:
- broad and comprehensive offer, something for everyone - links with the network
- user-friendly, clear navigation Negative:
- offers not free
- some courses outdated Sources https://about.linkedin.com/de-de
https://de.linkedin.com/learning?trk=learning-course_nav-header-logo&upsellOrderOrigin=default_guest_learning
Cannon, 2015a
Appendix 19. Table with benchmarking findings for Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU)
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General information Overview, type of
provider Global peer learning platform that was started in 2007 in the U.S.
strongest activity in Canada, Kenya, South Africa, and the U.S.
915 learning circles, 639 courses, 213 participating cities (as of November 2020)
nonprofit online open learning community, which allows users to organize and participate in courses and study groups to learn about specific topics offers some of the features of MOOCs, but is focused on people sharing their knowledge on a topic or learning about a topic offered by another user (anyone can create a course as well as take one)
Vision and mission:
- “P2PU is a grassroots network of individuals who seek to create an equitable, empowering, and liberating alternative to mainstream higher education. We work towards this vision by creating and sustaining learning communities in public spaces around the world. As librarians and community organizers, we bring neighborhoods together to learn with one another. As educators, we train facilitators to organize their own networks and we develop/curate open educational resources. As developers and designers, we build open source software tools that support flourishing learning communities. And as learners, we work together to improve upon and disseminate methods and practices for peer learning to flourish.”
User, target
biggest online peer learning platform
could serve as an example and best practice for the Alumniportal on how to include users in the process of learning content creation and organizing their learning on own account
Benchmarking aspects Setup of website [structure, navigation, search]
all offers can be searched, filtered and sorted Study groups:
- search for keywords, location, organization, facilitator…
- offers can be filtered by location, topic and meeting day(s), open and closed events
Courses:
- search for title, subject…
- offers can be filtered by topics, languages, OER mode Events:
- search for keywords, sort past and upcoming event
Design modern and appealing website with interactive elements like moving and changing text, videos, interactive map
few pictures but testimonials with real photos Mobile version,
app not available up to now
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Offers, formats courses and study groups, events, challenges and other formats pre Covid-19 not only digital but also real meetings
Content, topics no limitations to topics
offers on a variety of topics, from foreign languages to personal development and from career related topics to topics of social justice and equality
Costs, compulsory contribution by users [registration, data, fees]
completely free, P2PU charges no tuition
completely free, P2PU charges no tuition