University of Wisconsin - Extension

University of Wisconsin Learning Innovations (UWLI), an online support organization for the University of Wisconsin System, reported an increase of nearly 50 percent in student enrollments for the Fall 2001 semester. UW System President Katharine C. Lyall made the announcement at the November Board of Regents meeting in Madison.

"The increase in online enrollments supported by UW Learning Innovations is really admirable, " said Lyall. "UWLI and its UW partners are seeing to it that a valuable UW education is now truly available to anybody, anywhere in the world.

"As these enrollment numbers continue to grow," Lyall added, "the participation of these new online students validates our commitment to the Wisconsin Idea of expanded accessibility."

As explained by David J. Ward, UWLI interim executive director, the increase of well over 400 students this fall will likely bring the total 2001-02 enrollments close to 3,300, as compared to 2,215 enrollments for all of last year. Ward pointed out that this is the third consecutive year that UWLI has shown a substantial growth rate in enrollments, reaffirming the UW's steadfast dedication to online education.

In addition, UWLI, in collaboration with its many UW partners, has increased the number of course sections being offered every semester, with 67 currently being offered this fall as compared to 48 this time last year.

"We and our UW partners are adding more course sections every semester in order to meet the demand for quality online education from the University of Wisconsin," Ward explained. He added that there are additional online enrollments across the UW System, but that those supported by UWLI are geared toward full degree and certificate participants, not individual courses.

"When the Board of Regents created UWLI in late 1997, they intended it to help the UW System become a leader in online education," Lyall concluded. "UWLI, in partnership with the other UW institutions, has indeed been successful in this regard. Now, it will be important for us to provide the support necessary for UWLI, and the UW System, to continue to lead the nation, and the world, in distance education."

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A collaboration of University of Wisconsin-Extension and UW System, UW Learning Innovations provides instructional design and development, faculty development, marketing and learner services expertise to the 26 UW campuses in support of their online degree and certificate programs.

UWLI also delivers more than 300 non-degree, print-based Independent Learning courses (many with e-mail capabilities) and provides external clients with creative, e-learning solutions. For more information about UW Learning Innovations, please visit http://learn.wisconsin.edu/