London School of Marketing launches world’s first MBA course that you can study on a smartphone. Does it make sense in India?
E-learning is growing rapidly and an increasing number of courses are being made available online. In 2010, the value of the global e-learning market including higher education was £20 billion; by 2015, it is estimated to have grown to £70 billion, according to eLearning Industry—the largest online community of professionals involved in the e-learning space. The fastest growing markets are India and China.
While online MBA has been there for some time, and has enabled thousands of students to live their management dream, the next is an MBA on a smartphone, which was recently launched by the London School of Marketing (LSM). Courses currently on offer include an MBA in business studies, and a Masters and two undergraduate courses in the same subject.
LSM, in fact, claims that it is the world’s first MBA course that students can study on their smartphone. The course uses an online platform that offers students direct access to tutors and learning material via their mobile device, allowing them to study whenever and wherever they want, regardless of location.
LSM has now introduced this course in India.
However, for such courses—and more so in the Indian context—there could be some kind of trust deficit regarding fee payment, content delivery, credibility and the fact that there is no physical touch point.
“The use of technology in a higher education classroom has been a controversial issue. Parents, teachers, policy-makers and students alike have weighed and argued the potential benefits versus the risks associated. Lesson planning can become more labour-intensive with technology, but the fact is that we live in a digital world, where the class has instant access to information that can supplement their learning experience,” says Reena Vora, assistant director, ITM Executive Education Centre.
ITM has been offering its online MBA in India for some time now.
So, how has LSM planned its unique offering? It has set up Local Access Points (LAPs) in many countries, including India. At present, there are 48 LAPs and 61 Recognised International Business Development Partners (RIBs) across the globe.
“Our LAPs ensure that students have a physical touch point should they need any sort of administrative support. This means students in India can earn a British MBA, from the comfort of their homes, and without any insecurity of credibility and reputability,” asserts Paul Penman, founder & CEO, LSM.
Anton Dominique, CFO of LSM, adds, “We have adopted a click-and-brick approach to learning. At LAPs, students can meet, study together and enjoy access to our experts.” He says the smartphone MBA can help students obtain a global degree while living in India and save them precious time and money, which would otherwise have been spent in travelling and living abroad. “Moving to the UK for studying a similar classroom course can cost over £40,000.”
However, even this smartphone MBA isn’t really inexpensive, considering the fact that we don’t really know how employers will respond to such a course. Fees for bachelor degrees range from £4,950 to £6,250, while those for masters range from £3,950 to £7,950.
akash.sinha@expressindia.com