Flexible learning is an educational approach that employs pedagogically informed technologies to create personalised, engaging learning experiences, allowing students to choose how, what, when, and where they learn. Recognising that students’ needs, aspirations and commitments can evolve throughout their course, flexible learning ensures an engaging, personalised experience, supporting all students in reaching their potential.
Flexible learning requires partnership between all stakeholders: educators, institutions, students and employers, therefore the framework is intended to be accessible to a wide audience. It may be particularly useful for:
- Decision makers
- Course leaders
- Students
- Employers
The framework is part of the Essential Frameworks for Enhancing Student Success series.
Does your institution need support to develop your flexible learning approach?
Institutions that adopt a flexible learning approach are responding to the diverse needs of learners and their employers; this can positively impact recruitment, retention and progression and widen participation, and support the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce. We work with you – understanding your context – to enhance your ways of working and learning.
Upcoming events
New to Teaching
Six-week online course starting 6 October 2025
Enhancing Programme Leadership
Starts 9 October 2025
Assessment and Feedback Symposium 2025
4 November 2025, Virtual
Educational Excellence Symposium 2025
8 December 2025, Virtual
Artificial Intelligence Symposium 2025
10 February 2026, Virtual
2026年教學與學習研討會
30 June – 2 July 2026, TBC
Related resources
Flexible learning: a literature review 2016 – 2021
Conducted by Professor Mark Loon of Northumbria University, this literature review aims to identify flexible learning trends, issues and impact from 2016 to the end of 2021, with particular focus on identifying ‘what works’ in the design, development and implementation of flexible learning.
Student Success Project: Flexible Learning
This project aims to support members in developing and implementing practical, evidence-based approaches to flexible learning in higher education.
Other resources:
University of The Future
As part of our Member Benefits activities for the 23/24 Academic year, three roundtables were held with stakeholders to consider how they felt Generative Artificial Intelligence would impact higher education institutions. As part of the work undertaken, we experimented with creating an entirely AI-generated report.
AI Garage Overview
This short report is a high-level analysis of various AI-centric projects undertaken within HEIs. The data for this analysis was collected as part of a member benefit project entitled “AI Garage”, where the ‘garage’ can either be taken as a metaphor for the creativity of a garage band or as an allusion to how many technology innovations claim to be created in a garage.
