Explore Indiana University's innovative online education framework, built on IU’s traditional academic structures. We describe the evolution of our internal online management program, responding to internal and external pressures for over a decade. Gain insights, spark discussion on leveraging this model, and share your experiences with internal OPMs.

Overview: In the dynamic landscape of online education, our institution has worked over the past decade to create a model of online education that leverages the traditional infrastructure of a multi-campus university. Without a school of continuing studies or an extension unit, we chose to embed online programs within the traditional academic units, encouraging inter-campus collaboration to develop and maintain these programs. This process has been evolving since the late 20th century, but beginning in 2011, the university embarked on a more strategic approach to increase the scale of online programming as well as ensure quality. This has meant developing an internal online program management (OPM) model that facilitates academic programming, instructional design, student services, recruitment, marketing, and other services necessary to develop online programs. This model has undergone several stages of evolution in response to internal and external pressures. With almost 9,000 online program students and over 200 academic programs, the results have been a significant driver of innovation and change within the university. This session will explore the history of this approach with an emphasis on the most recent adaptations coming out of the pandemic, including: (1) centralization of student services, (2) a new funding model, (3) integration with the university strategic plan, and (4) new academic governance structures. Relevance to the Community: As online education becomes increasingly integral to higher education, understanding the evolution and strategies of our internal OPM model offers invaluable insights for institutions navigating similar challenges. By examining our journey, attendees can glean practical guidance and inspiration to adapt and innovate within their own educational contexts. Plan for Interactivity: Our session prioritizes active engagement. We will facilitate discussions that encourage participants to reflect on the values and virtues of an internal OPM model, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and best practices. Attendees will also explore our model as a case study in smaller breakout groups, enabling deeper exploration and peer-to-peer learning. Takeaways for Attendees: Through an engaging and interactive session, attendees will not only gain insights into our internal OPM journey but also emerge with actionable strategies, lessons learned, and a renewed sense of purpose to navigate the evolving landscape of online education in their respective institutions.