E-learning gains momentum in Europe driven by robust need for virtual learning platforms

Published Date: May 25, 2022

The internet penetration is growing at a fast rate in many countries across Europe, which has been a major factor pushing the growth of Europe e-learning market. In fact, according to the Eurostat, the share of European households having access to the internet rose to 92% in 2021. The report further states that in 2021, 66% of the total population falling in the age group of 16 to 74 years bought or ordered goods and services from various e-commerce platforms. These statistics simultaneously point to the tremendous growth of the e-commerce sector.

The above-mentioned figures also show the rising use of the internet for learning and training and its huge potential in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic also played a vital role in increasing the demand for e-learning platforms as governments across Europe announced stringent lockdowns and movement restrictions that forced many to shift indoors. This scenario caused several educational institutes to start online classes and companies to conduct virtual training sessions, offering a substantial push to Europe e-learning industry size. The pandemic also posed several learning and infrastructural challenges.

Authorities in Europe are offering financial support to help small-scale businesses run their operations as smoothly as possible and help them overcome their challenges. For example, in 2020, the European Union offered a funding of around EUR 3.3 million to Technocite, a Belgium-based ICT & digital media knowledge center that offers training courses to employees in the digital and creative sectors. Such efforts will favor the use of e-learning platforms in the region.

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LMS solutions may find robust academic applications:

Learning Management System (LMS) solutions will boost the growth of Europe e-learning market share. There are several advantages of using LMS solutions in education; the biggest being that they can act as a centralized platform to help end-users store all their learning materials in one place instead of being dependent on multiple hard drives.

With the help of LMS, teachers can make important announcements and organize urgent meetings with parents to help them understand their child’s performance and progress. Another important benefit of implementing LMS solutions in an academic setting is that they do not incur huge installation and running costs. Since most aspects of academic learning take place virtually, there is no need to buy additional materials, thereby increasing the cost-saving capacity of academic institutes and fostering the use of LMS services.

Demand for e-learning content providers grows:

The rise in the number of e-learning content providers will have a positive impact on Europe industry outlook. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced academic and industrial trainers to start virtual training and learning classes. While the need to have robust e-learning mediums is rising at a significant rate, the importance of having equally competent content providers is growing.

E-learning content providers can formulate and offer compelling learning materials that may fulfill an end-user’s personal and professional goals. One of the most important advantages of utilizing the services of e-learning content providers is that they can prepare inclusive training manuals for differently abled employees, which will augment their need among companies.

High use of e-learning solutions in vocational training:

The vocational training application is predicted to capture a large share of Europe e-learning market. With several academic institutes adjusting to the new environment of virtual learning, teachers and other staff members are being introduced to advanced e-learning platforms to help them hone their teaching skills.

There are many advantages of using e-learning solutions to train teachers, which include 24/7 access to different training modules, helping professors personalize their study materials, cost-effective, and eco-friendly training sessions, among numerous others. Since a large percentage of the European population has access to the internet, the use of e-learning services will increase among teaching professionals.

The concept of e-learning is picking up the pace across Europe as many countries are increasingly switching to virtual platforms to take up training courses and become better professionals. With the availability of a vast variety of subjects to choose from, e-learning solutions are determined to break the pre-set mold of conventional courses. This move will not only expand the scope of learning and training, but also significantly increase job opportunities for young aspirants.

The leading companies that are offering innovative e-learning solutions to clients across Europe include, Day One Technologies, First Media, Learning Pool, Walkgrove, Microsoft Corporation, SAP SE, AllenComm, EI Design, and many others. Many organizations are entering into mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations to enhance their business capabilities and expand their product & service portfolios. For example, in July 2021, Coorpacademy, a start-up member of EdTech France Association, announced its partnership with 7 Shapes to offer LEAN Management training to its employees.

Authors:
 Priyanka Nair