To continue to offer the citizens of North Carolina quality, affordable educational opportunities, UNC recognizes the need to develop alternative programs and delivery methods to ensure equal, affordable access to higher education for working, place-bound adults. The delivery of e-Learning programs is one of the essential alternative delivery methods of higher education available to the University.

Most UNC campuses have already made some investment in building e-Learning programs. Campuses are offering hundreds of e-Learning courses in disciplines ranging from social sciences and liberal arts to education, business, technology, engineering and health sciences. About 30 degree programs have been developed by UNC campuses in which a major part of the instructional delivery is offered online.

However, most campuses have implemented their e-Learning technical architecture in isolated environments, and there is significant overlap in investment across campuses. In addition, most campuses are faced with limited resources and offer a limited scope of support services.

As UNC's campus-based e-Learning courses and programs continue to expand, the e-Learning Strategy will enable the University to leverage investments and initiatives to develop a more coordinated, cost-effective approach that will benefit all campuses and e-Learning students.