Enrolled in Online Programs on EdTech? Check If It’s Actually Valid

The increasing demand for flexible and accessible education has led to the rise of online diploma and degree programmes in various disciplines. This, in turn, has transformed higher education. Not only this, several top universities and edTech firms offer online programmes in collaboration with foreign educational institutions and providers.

As Indian universities and edtech companies collaborate with foreign institutions to offer online courses, the question arises: are online degrees from these international collaborations valid and recognised in the job market?

Are Online Programs Through Edtech-Foreign University Collaborations Valid?

As per the latest UGC guidelines, online programs offered through Edtech-foreign university collaborations without its prior approval are not valid. In a public notice, the UGC said that many higher educational institutions have entered into collaborative agreements with foreign educational institutions and providers not recognised by the Commission and are facilitating the issuance of degrees.

Many edTech firms are also promoting online degree and diploma programmes in collaboration with foreign universities or institutions through advertisements in newspapers, on social media, television and other platforms. Such collaborations are not recognised by UGC and subsequently making such online degrees invalid.

Also Read: Government Banned Universities for Online Degrees - Is Yours on the List?

Key Factors to Verify Your Online Degree is Valid

To verify the validity of your online degree or diploma programme, students must consider key factors which are as follows:

• Accreditation Status: One of the most critical factors in determining the validity is accreditation. Your online degree or diploma must be from accredited institutions.
• Regional and National Accreditation: It is crucial to check regional and national accreditation which ensures that your institution and degree meets industry standards.
• International Recognition: Students should verify that the degree-granting foreign institution holds recognised accreditation in its home country and this accreditation is acknowledged internationally.
• Degree Granting Institution: It must be considered that the online degree should be awarded by a recognised university with proper degree-granting authority, not by the edtech company facilitating the programme.
• Employer Acceptance: Students should research how employers view online degrees from your chosen institution. Some sectors may have specific preferences or requirements.

Apart from these, students must be aware of programmes from institutions that lack proper accreditation or claim accreditation from unrecognised bodies.

Also Read: How Industry-Academia Partnerships are Redefining Online Education

Not always your online degree from an edtech company or university in collaboration with foreign educational institutions is valid. The validity of such collaborative programmes primarily depends on the accreditation status and recognition of the degree-granting institution.

While cross-border collaboration in education provides innovative and accessible learning opportunities, students must do thorough research to ensure their online degree is recognised by employers and other institutions.