Learning takes off
Herald Sun | 6 January 2016
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Virgin Australia is partnering with Open Universities Australia’s free online platform to give passengers a more productive way to while away their flights, dubbed “edutainment”.
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In the latest advancement to its in-flight entertainment system, the airline is adding business and lifestyle-related short courses for international and domestic routes.
The pilot program started in December with a project management course and a different topic is to be introduced each month.
Passengers will be able to study photography, financial planning, food and nutrition and introduction to business in Asia as part of the deal with.
The one-hour courses, offered through OUA’s Open2Study, are adapted from a four-hour program, with students able to complete the remaining modules after landing.
They are delivered through Virgin Australia’s wireless in-flight entertainment system, which streams content to a passenger’s tablets and phones through Wi-Fi.
OUA executive manager of education programs Jose Herrera Perea said passengers could access the video element of the courses in-flight, and do the assessments on the website when they had internet access. He is confident the move will take off, predicting 20% of passengers will get on-board and fuel enrolments.
He said the courses are easy to digest:
We really believe flyers will enjoy using their time on flights to expand their knowledge across an array of educational disciplines.