Online studies rise by a fifth

THE number of people taking up online degrees and other courses has surged by 20 per cent since the pandemic started, according to the Open University.

Bosses at the institution attributed the rise to the increased demand in “reskilling and upskilling” as the economy recovers.

Particularly popular are the OU’s “microcredential” courses, which help students quickly learn skills in subjects like cyber-security and leadership.

Susan Stewart, OU director in Scotland, said: “What we can see is a pattern of steady growth year on year but that the figure really shot up over the last year.

“Psychology remains our most popular subject – and that’s true in all four nations of the UK – and our microcredential courses have also soared in popularity.”