Evidence Summary: What Works in Online Learning in Higher Education

Online learning in higher education has grown rapidly over the past decade. The COVID-19 pandemic was an unplanned experiment that revealed both the importance of online education and the limited capacity for it at national, institutional, and individual levels in many countries. This evidence summary summarizes critical conditions for online learning success, as well as evidence on the effectiveness of online education in improving access, engagement, and learning outcomes in higher education. It is intended as a programming resource for USAID, its partners, higher education institutions (HEIs), and higher education systems.