UNIVO’s Role in Scaling Online Higher Education Across India

UNIVO’s CEO, Siddharth Banerjee explains in this interview to Careers360 how it helps Indian universities scale online degrees, bridge the industry-academia gap, and expand access to future-ready higher education.

Q1. Tell us about UNIVO and how UNIVO enables universities to transition to online education and reach a larger audience, especially in a diverse country like India.

UNIVO is one of India’s leading online higher education companies, which works with select universities to enable their programs to go digital and with business enterprises for their employee training and upskilling needs. I would like to highlight three key points here: first, Univo builds for both India and Bharat audiences, working closely with universities and skilling institutions on online degrees and online certifications.

Industry studies show that 79 per cent of students attend online classes on smartphones and only 17 per cent on laptops, so content has to be light, slide-led, and available offline. Assisted with onboarding, WhatsApp, and IVR support, and local facilitators and CSCs make the experience usable in Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural locations.

Secondly, in India, UGC has permitted certain universities to offer select online degrees. We work deeply with select universities as their digital transformation partner to help co-create an ecosystem for an industry-aligned and future-fit set of online degrees and online certifications.

Third, UNIVO plays a key role in bridging the industry-academia gap by reaching out to corporate partners and selecting universities to work on online degrees that combine quality education with employability. At the same time, we work with some of the most visible names in banking, aviation, technology, retail, and automotive for upskilling their employees.

Q2. What role does UNIVO play in helping India towards the national goal of achieving a 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035?

UNIVO enables universities to go digital and expand their impact across India and possibly, globally. We work deeply with our partners to help translate high-demand programs into UGC compliant online degrees that can then be accessible to millions of learners while breaking geographic, financial, and opportunity-cost barriers. This transformation matters in India, where GER is still in mid-20s, while India must add millions of degree-holders to reach the 50 per cent GER target by 2035. We have seen the benefit of online degrees across diverse personas of students, from first-generation learners, women returning to education and/or pivoting their careers, working professionals across India, and entrepreneurs and SME owners in Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions. Online Degrees is still a nascent, high-growth category, and we have been dedicatedly building the Growth Playbook in the last few years to mainstream online degrees.

Q3. How does UNIVO help the universities develop future-fit, industry-ready degrees while offering these programs online to a larger set of audiences?

At UNIVO, we work hand-in-hand with partner universities to design, launch, and scale their online degree programs through our comprehensive, end-to-end solutions, ensuring both quality and integrity at every step. All programs are developed in line with UGC and NEP 2020 standards, combining strong academic foundations with real-world relevance. We bridge the industry-academia gap by facilitating collaborations between universities and leading industry partners like TCS, iON, HCLTech, KPMG and PayTM, enabling learners to gain practical exposure through internships, capstone projects, live industry sessions, and employability paths, like internships, to make learners ready for careers of the 21st century, from Technology to Fintech. Through continuous academic support, regular audits, and data-driven insights, we empower universities to deliver credible, engaging, and job-ready online education at scale.

Q4. How does UNIVO support universities in customizing online programs to meet the specific needs of Indian students, particularly across a large, diverse country like India?

India is too diverse for one-size-fits-all solutions, including online degrees. UNIVO works with universities on three layers: context, connectivity, and careers. For context, we tie up with the industry to help the faculty build case studies and projects featuring developing markets perspectives, Indian companies, and regional businesses, because of which learning feels immediately relevant.

For connectivity, we work with our university partners to develop platforms that offer low-bitrate streaming, slide-first micro lectures, downloadable transcripts, and offline assets that open smoothly on entry-level smartphones. This matters when only 48 per cent of India’s youth are considered employable, and many live with patchy infrastructure, including simple phone devices. Language support includes multilingual captions, glossaries, and doubt resolution in simple English and Hindi, with regional support where feasible. On the career side, we map skills to relevant job roles, add bridge modules in digital fluency and communication, and design weekly study plans, WhatsApp nudges, and flexible office hours. The same course can run in different tracks for different personas to ensure the relevant sets of positive outcomes.

Q5. How does UNIVO facilitate industry partnerships for universities, ensuring that students enrolled in online degree programs are equipped with the necessary skills for the workforce?

In today’s job market, industries value skilled professionals rather than just a common degree. Recognising this shift, progressive universities like Amity University Online are increasingly focused on integrating practical, job-oriented learning into their programs, and that is where UNIVO plays a pivotal role. We help bridge the industry-academia gap by facilitating collaborations between universities and leading industry partners such as TCS iOn, HCLTech, KPMG, and Paytm. Through these partnerships, learners gain valuable hands-on exposure via internships, capstone projects, live industry sessions, and expert-led masterclasses. These initiatives ensure that students not only grasp academic concepts but also develop the practical, analytical, and interpersonal skills required to thrive in the modern workplace. Supported by UNIVO’s digital ecosystem and AI-powered learning tools, partner universities can deliver programs that produce truly job-ready graduates equipped for the evolving demands of the industry.

Q6. How do online degree programs empowered by UNIVO compare with traditional education models in terms of flexibility and accessibility for students with varying personal circumstances?

Traditional models assume a fixed geographic location for learners or that learners can relocate for several years and attend fixed-hour classes on campus. Globally, online degrees start from the opposite assumption: that many learners are working in offices, building their businesses, caregiving, or preparing for other pursuits like competitive sports are diverse. All of these diverse personas have one common need: they all need education to fit around their life plans.

Our partner universities offer the same faculty, syllabus, and assessments in a flexible, technology-enabled format for online degrees as the ecosystem for traditional education. Learners can learn at their own pace via asynchronous learning, join live doubt-solving classes or watch recordings later, submit assignments within defined but wider windows, and progress with modular pacing. Increasingly, LMS platforms are optimised for low-bandwidth and budget smartphones, with transcripts and slides accessible offline. We will see multiple entry and exit and credit banking, which will allow students to pace themselves or pause for health, family or employment reasons to rejoin without losing all progress. Support comes via WhatsApp, weekend doubt clearing, and office hours. Flexibility is a designed feature that widens access while preserving academic rigour and completion discipline.

Q7. How does UNIVO help universities build an engaging online campus experience that replicates the best aspects of a traditional university experience?

A great campus experience is ultimately about community, not just buildings. UNIVO consults with universities to recreate that sense of belonging in digital form. During the program, learners interact through live classes, breakout rooms, discussion forums, group projects, and interest-based clubs that host hackathons, case competitions, and cultural events online. This allows online learners to build shared memories and peer networks, not just consume content.

Beyond graduation, we work deeply with our Anchor University Partner to build alumni platforms that connect learners and graduates across 100-plus counties and every state of India through virtual reunions, mentorship circles, webinars, and themed discussion forums.

Jobs boards, referral channels, and project marketplaces give alumni practical ways to collaborate and hire. For students who may never have set foot on the physical campus, this becomes their living campus, giving them access to the same brand, networks, and opportunities as on-campus cohorts while strengthening the university’s global reputation.

Q8. In terms of cost-effectiveness, how do online degrees from Indian universities offer students a more affordable alternative to studying abroad?

We envisage a future where all learners, regardless of geographic location or socio-economic background, can get the high-quality education they need, sitting in India. Studying abroad is often expensive, not only because of tuition, but also due to relocation, housing, and living costs in foreign currencies. Online degrees from Indian universities remove those overheads while maintaining strong academic standards. Tuition is typically a fraction of international programs and can be paid through EMIs, scholarships, or employer support. Learners continue earning while studying, which reduces education debt and opportunity cost. Study materials are digital, labs are virtual or simulation-based, and travel expenses are minimal. Because UNIVO-enabled programs are aligned to domestic and global job roles, students are not paying for unused facilities or misaligned electives.

Currency volatility does not inflate budgets, and flexibility reduces indirect costs such as time away from work or caregiving. Cost effectiveness here comes from smarter design and technology-enabled scale, not from cutting corners on curriculum, assessments, or the value of the final university degree. For a select few, going abroad is still an aspiration, and we have the capabilities to assist them as well.

Q9. With the rise of remote work and virtual collaboration, how do online degree programs equip students with skills that are directly relevant to the global job market?

Modern work happens in digital, distributed environments, and online degrees train learners in the same medium. Students collaborate across shared documents, product boards, and repositories, present work on video, and practise concise, outcome-focused communication. Courses build norms around remote teamwork, asynchronous documentation, and sprint-based execution that employers value.

Assessments require artefacts that mirror real tasks, such as analysis notebooks, design specs, or mini applications. Research shows that around 83 per cent of employees now view hybrid models as ideal, combining autonomy with collaboration. Our inputs integrate familiarity with the collaboration and productivity stack used by global teams. Industry mentors run critique sessions and mock stand-ups, while career services coaches learners on virtual interviews, portfolio storytelling, and LinkedIn presence.

Graduates enter the workforce already aligned with the tools, rhythms, and expectations of remote and hybrid organisations, not just holding a degree on paper.

Q 10. How does UNIVO’s platform enhance the learning experience for students, offering a personalised approach that might be hard to find in larger, traditional universities abroad?

UNIVO's approach is built on the thesis that scale and personalisation can go together. The learner journey begins with diagnostic assessments that surface strengths, gaps, and career goals. Based on this, the system curates adaptive study plans with micro lessons, practice exercises, and revision paths tailored to individual pace. Smart nudges and mastery-based dashboards enable learners to stay on track and measure real progress and not just grades.

Academic support combines faculty, teaching assistants, curated resources, and flexible office hours for working professionals, homemakers, and first-generation learners. Writing and communication labs, plus AI-driven feedback, strengthen essential workplace skills. AI-enabled career services align profiles to emerging roles and structure resume building and interview preparation, which is vital when an industry estimate shows that 69 per cent of jobs in India will transform due to automation. We are constantly bringing inputs to our stakeholders to make education future-focused and help prepare learners for the age of AI.