Dive Brief:
- Champlain College in Burlington, VT, has dozens of partnerships with major corporations and, most recently, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, to open up new online student markets.
- Inside Higher Ed reports that Champlain’s latest partnership opens up a workforce of 2 million federal employees all getting information about the college’s steeply discounted online programs.
- Partnering with a variety of organizations saves Champlain significantly on direct marketing, and by hosting courses on its own platform instead of contracting an enabler, Champlain can afford to offer tuition at 70% off, according to the article.
Dive Insight:
Growing its online presence has allowed tiny Champlain College to create a substantially larger footprint than its Burlington campus would otherwise allow. Inside Higher Ed reports the college started offering online programs in 1996 but launched its latest initiative to partner directly with employers about a year-and-a-half ago. So far, the college has worked with companies in business, government, nonprofit, healthcare, and technology sectors, including Comcast, Cigna, the Burlington Police Department, and Ben & Jerry’s. These partnerships are taking pressure off the traditional student body to keep the college afloat.