Two distinct types of online courses are available. With the primary type, contact hours are organized individually between students and professors. With the secondary type, contact hours are scheduled by the school administration, in line with the campus-based courses. The secondary type mimics as much as possible a regular campus-based environment, and was initially introduced at our campus in Milan in February 2020 to accommodate students during the coronavirus pandemic. It was later expanded to all campuses in March and April 2020. This type of courses is a great option for students affected with social distancing measures and travel restrictions, as well as for those who have the flexibility throughout the day to join virtual classes.
With both types, students receive course materials which they review and study. Assignments are submitted by certain deadlines, and open-book take-home exams take place during the designated exam weeks. More information about the secondary type, online group courses, is available at https://news.uibs.org/coronavirus/.
Program | Courses |
---|---|
Undergraduate/Bachelor | individual and group courses |
Graduate/Master | individual and group courses |
Postgraduate/Doctorate | group courses only |
Our academic calendar is based on a quarter system with 10-week quarters that each consist of two 5-week terms planned in the fall, winter, spring and summer of each academic year. Our programs' flexible structure and modular design allow for an optimal further education planning and provide multiple starting dates at the start of every Term, in October, November, January, February, April, May, July, and August. Some programs can even start every week! All campuses follow the same academic calendar.
The platform of choice for our online learning system is Microsoft 365, which provides professional tools for remote communication and conferencing. One of such tools is the Teams app. This system has been in use at our school for many years and is used actively on a daily basis by students, professors and team members not just for communication but also for virtual courses between two or more conference rooms.
During the welcome events, students are introduced to the various tools and systems. We provide additional guides about our digital tools for students to learn how to use them. With regards to the hardware requirement for online courses and programs, we recommend not using a phone or tablet, but a proper laptop or desktop computer. Useful accessories include a wired or wireless headset with built-in microphone, and a higher resolution webcam.
While internet speeds nowadays are significantly faster than ever before, with 4G and fiber connectivity options, we do recommend using a cabled connection during live online contact hours with professors and fellow students. Additional readings in-between sessions you can easily download for offline review and preparation. Should connection quality be limited, you can always turn on and off incoming and outgoing video separately.
Our class schedules do not overlap, allowing students to attend all contact hours of all courses they enrolled for. Contact hours are scheduled throughout the week, allowing you to stay focused on your learning. You can effectively study online from the comfort of your own home, without the distractions of everyday life. Additional virtual coaching and virtual tutoring options are also available.
All professors were trained to teach online. Most professors already had several online courses scheduled prior to the coronavirus pandemic, and all professors already used the same platform that is now also used for online courses, i.e. Microsoft Teams. Many professors also already taught courses shared virtually between several of our conference rooms across the campus network. Students submit quality feedback for each course they take, and all comments are considered for further updates to the best practices and other applicable guidelines for professors.
Students can choose to blend their studies with a mix of online courses, virtual courses and campus-based courses. Blended or hybrid programs provide the best alternative not only for when social distancing measures or travel restrictions are in place or are recommended, but also for working professionals or parents who need the extra flexibility without compromising their regular activities.
Recognizing the importance of flexibility and practicality of online courses, we have courses scheduled and available in multiple timezones. The European timezones (UTC, UTC+1 and UTC+2) are our primary timezones, and has online group courses scheduled in the mornings, evenings and throughout the day. The Asian timezones (UTC+8, UTC+9 and UTC+10) are our secondary timezones in which the local evening courses overlap with the morning courses in Europe. The American timezones (UTC-8, UTC-7 and UTC-6) are additional timezones that we introduced to accommodate our North and South American students who study from home during the coronavirus pandemic and in which the local morning courses overlap with the evening courses in Europe.
Professors make use of the same digital communication system as the school’s administrative and academic team members. You can connect with individual professors using the Teams app. Response times may vary, but in addition to the regularly scheduled contact hours, your questions and concerns related to your online courses will be addressed. Additional virtual tutoring and virtual coaching options are also available.
To enable social interaction and to stay motivated, we schedule regular general student meetings, in addition to the traditional welcome events. Students can also easily connect with each other for group study and group assignments in-between contact hours with the professors, or simply for a one-on-one or group social call. In our Online Campus, you are not an anonymous student hiding behind a chat box. You can develop your interpersonal and social skills based on digital etiquette.
Our administrative and academic team members are available throughout the week (and some even on weekends or later at night due to timezone differences and a flexible work schedule), which whom you can connect, either by chatting, audio calls or video calls. They also actively reach out to students, as do professors.
Necessary evaluations are made by our academic teams of the quality of open-book exams, which are of course not supposed to be easier or subject to possible academic fraud.
Studying online does not impact the intended duration of your studies. Students can still study full-time or part-time, and pause and recontinue as per their personal preferences. The online program completion time should not be any different than with campus-based programs
Online students are also invited to participate in our annual Graduation Ceremony. The same degree is awarded to students who completed their studies (partially) online as to students who completed their studies (partially) campus-based. Upon graduation, students not only receive a paper diploma but also an instant blockchain-verifiable diploma.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 180 European Credits and can be completed within 6 years of part-time studies. This program includes our 120-credit Online Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business program and our Pre-Master Foundation program. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 180 European Credits and can be completed within 6 years of part-time studies. This program includes our 120-credit Online Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business program and our Pre-Master Foundation program. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. This program builds upon up to 120 European Credits earned elsewhere, upon our 120-credit Online Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business program, or upon our 90-credit Online Associate in Business Studies (ABS) program, and includes our Pre-Master Foundation program. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. This program builds upon up to 120 European Credits earned elsewhere, upon our 120-credit Online Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business program, or upon our 90-credit Online Associate in Business Studies (ABS), and includes our Pre-Master Foundation program. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 90 European Credits and can be completed within 3 years of part-time studies. This program includes our 60-credit Online Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Business program. Consider continuing in the Online Bachelor in Business Studies (BBS) or the Online Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 30 or more European Credits and can be completed within 1 year of part-time studies. This program builds upon up to 60 European Credits earned elsewhere or upon our 60-credit Online Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Business program. Consider continuing in the Online (top-up) Bachelor in Business Studies (BBS) or the Online (top-up) Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 240 UK credits or 120 European Credits and can be completed within 4 years of part-time studies. This program builds upon our 60-credit Online Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Business program. Consider continuing in the Online Bachelor in Business Studies (BBS) or the Online Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 120 UK credits or 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Consider continuing in the Online Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals up to 30 European Credits and can be completed within up to 1 year of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts any time.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This top-ranking program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. This program includes our Online Graduate Certificate in Digital Marketing program. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 12 European Credits and can be completed within 3 to 12 months of part-time studies. Consider continuing in Online Master in Business Studies (MBS) program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online via the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI). This program equals 24 European Credits and can be completed within 9 months of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. Consider continuing in the Online Master in Digital Marketing program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 12 European Credits and can be completed within 3 to 12 months of part-time studies. Consider continuing in the Online Master in Financial Management program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 12 European Credits and can be completed within 3 to 12 months of part-time studies. Consider continuing in the Online Master in Marketing Management program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 12 European Credits and can be completed within 3 to 12 months of part-time studies. Consider continuing in the Online Master in Human Resource Management program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 12 European Credits and can be completed within 3 to 12 months of part-time studies. Consider continuing in the Online Master in Operations Management program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 12 European Credits and can be completed within 9 to 12 months of part-time studies. Consider continuing in the Online Master in Fashion Management program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This top-ranking program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term, except during the Summer Quarter.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 60 European Credits and can be completed within 2 years of part-time studies. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term, except during the Summer Quarter.
Complete your studies entirely online or in a blended format along with one or more campus-based courses. This program equals 15 European Credits and can be completed within 4.5 to 24 months of part-time studies. Consider continuing in the Online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) or the Online Doctor of Philosophy in Management (PhD) program upon completion. Academic and other conditions may apply. This program starts every Term, except during the Summer Quarter.