Will open education replace traditional higher education, or augment it? Digital innovation in the higher education sector is fuelling speculation about the transformation of higher education and the future role of universities. Much of the speculation makes questionable implicit assumptions about current and future business models in the higher…

In an era when novel educational technologies are constantly introduced to the marketplace, often accompanied by hyperbolic claims that these ground-breaking innovations will transform the educational landscape, decision makers in educational institutions need a methodological approach for examining the innovative potential of new educational…

This is a critical examination of the claims that innovations such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) will disrupt the business models of the higher education sector. It describes what business models are, analyses the business model of free MOOCs offered by traditional universities and compares that model to that of paid online courses…