Education as a service (EaaS): Unlocking new possibilities
Abstract
The integration of technology in education has revolutionised the sector, fundamentally transforming how knowledge is accessed, delivered and consumed. A key change is the democratisation of education, as technology dismantles barriers to learning by providing unprecedented access to information. Personalised learning experiences have been facilitated through adaptive algorithms that tailor content to individual student needs, enhancing engagement and promoting deeper understanding. This technological integration has also spurred the emergence of new players, such as EdTech start-ups and companies, which develop innovative solutions to enhance teaching and learning. These developments have shifted the provision of education from traditional institutions to include non-traditional players, giving rise to the concept of Education as a Service (EaaS). This paper explores the potential of EaaS to further contribute to higher education through a comprehensive literature review. A systematic review of literature analyses and synthesises over a hundred research studies, scholarly articles, books and other relevant sources from the years 2019–2023. The primary objectives are to understand how EaaS aligns with current trends in student and institutional needs and to anticipate its future evolution. The paper concludes that the outlook for EaaS is multifaceted, encompassing aspects of service quality, sustainability, societal impact and resilience, particularly in response to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Author's Biography
Anshuman Khare is a Professor of Operations Management at Athabasca University, Canada. He is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and a former Monbusho Scholar. His research focuses on environmental regulation impacts on industry, just-in-time manufacturing, supply chain management, sustainability, cities and climate change, online business education, etc. His current research focuses on digital technologies’ impact on business and education. He has co-edited a series of books on the digital transformation of industry. Anshuman is passionate about online teaching and has been recognised with the Craig Cunningham Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence (2003) and the Athabasca University Graduate Students’ Association (AUGSA) Outstanding Distinction Award (2015). He excels in configuring learning platforms and integrated learning systems, with expertise including application and adoption of digital technologies in business education. He has also earned research awards for publications.
William W. Baber has combined education with business throughout his career. His professional experience includes economic development in the state of Maryland, business services in the Washington, DC area, supporting business starters in Japan, serving as advisory board member of SharpNav, a space data and positioning company, and as advisory board member of TRBC, a leading craft brewer in Japan. He regularly teaches business students in Japan, Taiwan and Europe and is currently Professor at the Graduate School of Management at Kyoto University, where his courses include business negotiation, cross-cultural management, and business model innovation. Recent publications include Practical Business Negotiation, Confirming the Impact of Training on Negotiators and Organizations, Transforming Japanese Business and Space Business: Emerging Theory and Practice.
Citation
Khare, Anshuman and Baber, William W. (2025, March 1). Education as a service (EaaS): Unlocking new possibilities. In the Advances in Online Education: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, Volume 3, Issue 3. https://doi.org/10.69554/GFJL2684.
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