Recent research from the Office for Students (OfS) highlighted the positive aspects of blended learning in higher education. In their 2022 report, OfS stated 79% of UK university students were satisfied with blended learning. Furthermore, the combination of in-person and online teaching and learning in higher education enables flexibility in physical attendance and allows greater accessibility for students. This supports students who have caring responsibilities and those in need of reasonable adjustments where exclusive physical or virtual attendance may adversely impact them. Blended learning has been further identified as a new way of bridging the gap in the higher education system by engaging better with underrepresented students.

However, OfS found that 1 in 5 students in 2022 reported dissatisfaction with blended learning. One reason for dissatisfaction is the worry of ‘content overload’ on some courses where some students reported receiving more content online than is manageable within the working week. The overloading risks reduction in course quality and student satisfaction that should be at the heart of students journeys in higher education. This highlights the need for conversations around blended learning to understand the ways it can be improved to better support both staff and students.

Assessing the Benefits of Blended Learning in Higher Education brings together key stakeholders in higher education to learn how to deliver blended learning to maximise the benefit for students and staff and create a more productive, inclusive, and fair environment.