The Observatory is a strategic information service tracking international developments, including online learning, transnational provision and new providers of higher education (eg, for-profit universities).

From the 2nd August 2010 the Observatory will transfer to i-graduate. The Observatory’s original parent organizations Universities UK and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (www.acu.ac.uk) are pleased to see the highly respected research unit become part of the i-graduate organisation which itself has a global reputation for its independent insight and international benchmarking.

"The transition of the Observatory into i-graduate will strengthen the capacity and scope of both organizations to serve the global HE community. The research role of OBHE in concert with the proven market survey and analysis role of i-graduate will be a value-added resource for the entire sector." said Don Olcott, Chief Executive, the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education.

Borderless activity is complex. The Observatory undertakes continuous analysis of developments and provides universities, and other organisations concerned with higher education policy and innovation, with strategic information on a regular and timely basis:

• tracking the latest developments in borderless higher education around the world;
• considering business models, decision making processes and organisational change;
• separating hype from reality and standing back to consider the public role of higher education

Products and services

Without a dedicated scanning facility, institutions are hard pressed to keep up with new developments in borderless higher education. The Observatory aims to be an efficient and cost-effective way for institutions to keep abreast of current developments. A number of services are available to subscribers:

• Monthly reports - major reports produced ten times per year. They provide a substantive assessment of a major topic in borderless higher education. Reports have included:
  • Improving quality and reducing costs: designs for effective learning using information technology, by Dr Carol Twigg, USA
  • Trade in higher education services: the implications of GATS, by Dr Jane Knight, Canada
  • Intellectual property: the internet and higher education, by Dr Dennis Farrington, UK
• Briefing notes - short articles which are produced eight times per year. Each takes a topical issue and many include an institutional case study.
• Breaking news - news stories covering topics ranging from new technologies to new partnerships and initiatives are added to the Observatory website almost every day. Many topics are not covered by the mainstream higher education press and are covered in innovative ways by the Observatory.
• Consultancy services - drawing on an international network of experts, the Observatory team provides consultancy on a broad range of topics. Recent work has included a review of the use of information technology for learning at a leading UK university.
• Survey of online learning at Commonwealth universities - seeking information on institutional strategy, infrastructure and initiatives, the survey was designed as a benchmarking tool to enable responding institutions to gauge current strategies and activities in relation to their counterparts.

Subscribers

The Observatory has over 120 institutional subscribers from over 15 countries, including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University of Melbourne, University of Cape Town, University of Hong Kong, European University Association, Association of Universities & Colleges of Canada, Australian Vice-Chancellor's Committee, Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and The World Bank.