Abstract

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is currently undertaking a sector wide exercise to benchmark e-learning in the UK. This paper will present the experience and outcomes of two UK Universities, Reading and Bournemouth, which have participated in this exercise. The Universities adopted the Association of Commonwealth Universities Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (ACU/OBHE) methodology, which will be discussed in relation to the findings for each institution. More specifically, by comparing the benchmarking process in the two institutions the paper will explore its contribution to understanding the level at which e-learning is embedded and the implications for institutional policy and practice. By examining the benefits and challenges faced by the two universities, the paper will identify the lessons learnt and discuss their implications for embedding e-learning in institutional practice and future developments.