Dublin City University announced today that over 80 per cent of its programmes will involve online learning by 2015.
The university has confirmed that an additional 15 new undergraduate and postgraduate programmes will be available either online or blended (combination of online and face-to-face) during the academic year 2012/13.
Alongside the university's existing online offerings, the latest announcement will bring the total number of online programmes to over thirty.
A spokesman for the university said that the increased focus on blended and online education will start to be implemented this September, at the start of the new academic year.
By 2012 over 100 staff will have taken part in specialised training in online teaching with a further 200 expected to complete the training by 2015, he said.
As part of this online strategy, a new agreement was announced between the university and Google to purchase Chromebooks for Education, whereby students on a small number of selected programmes will be provided with the device at no charge.
Commenting on today's announcement, university president, Professor Brian MacCraith said "It is very clear that the future of all education and higher education in particular, will have a significant online dimension.
"This future is all about blended learning, and this means a flexible combination of online interactions and face-to-face learning. This approach will enhance not only choices and flexibility but also the quality of the learning experience."
He added that the online approach to education would facilitate learning at any time and any place.