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Intellectual Output 1

Intellectual Output 1 consists in a list of criteria and indicators for the assessment of the quality of online higher education institutions. This list can be used for the creation of an online dimension in a multidimensional university ranking, such as the U-Multirank ranking. It is also useful for online institutions that may want to improve their performance.


The CODUR list of criteria and indicators has been developed through an extensive review of the state of the art of online higher education and its assessment, and through a thorough revision and comparison of the existing quality criteria and indicators referring to online education as well as of those criteria considered by traditional rankings. It has also been developed through an extensive refinement process involving several meetings of the partner institutions, the discussion and involvement of six Italian experts in online higher education, and the contributions of forty international experts through a Delphi study.


All the products of Intellectual Output 1 are accessible online in this website in the form of three deliverables.

1. State of the Art of Online Education

The first deliverable summarizes the characteristics of online education in the five continents, focusing on the factors that facilitate or slow its development, and presents some outstanding online education initiatives from each region. This deliverable shows the current state of confusion and lack of uniformity in the assessment, and even definition, of online higher education.

       Read more: CODUR project deliverable 01-A1: The State of Art of Online Education

2. A Means for Systemic Comparisons of Current Online Education Quality Assurance Tools and Systems

The second deliverable summarizes and compares current online education quality assurance tools and ranking indicators, and evaluates the benefits and problems associated with their production and use. This deliverable suggests that measures of educational processes are better indicators of educational quality than measures of educational performance, and recommends focusing on indicators of the quality of educational processes. It also concludes that the sustainability of a ranking dimension does not only depend on the reliability of its indicators but also on its perceived benefit for all stakeholders.

       Read more: CODUR project deliverable 01-A2: A means for systemic comparisons of current online education quality assurance tools and systems

3. Develop, Test, and Refine Representative Performance Online Quality Education Indicators Based on Common Criteria

The third deliverable presents a first tentative list of indicators and criteria for the assessment of online higher education institutions. The deliverable details the elaboration, test, and refinement of this list through a variety of activities: a decision-making activity involving the three partner organizations of the CODUR project, a Delphi study with the participation of forty international experts, a round table with national online education experts, and a workshop with stakeholders.

       Read more: CODUR project deliverable 01-A3: Develop test and refine representative performance online quality education indicators based on common criteria