Europe E-Learning Market Outlook, 2027

Europe has been undergoing tremendous technological and digital transformations in the field of e-learning over the past few years. Reports suggest that a strong technology landscape across the region is expected to contribute massively to the regional market. In line with this, European Union had also generated funds to develop European Data Portal for facilitating e-learning program to provide clear introduction to open data, offer supporting materials, and deliver training on its basics. Such initiatives are likely to offer a positive growth trajectory to the overall e-learning market across Europe. It is needless to mention that strong connectivity and robust telecom infrastructure across various economies will potentially augment the deployment of e-learning technologies in the region over the forthcoming years.

The Europe market for e-learning industry in 2021 was valued around USD 90 Billion, being the second highest share holder globally, aided by its strong technology platform. The government in Germany has developed a framework for action with the 5G strategy that was established in 2017, to speed-up the network expansion and advancement of applications. Robust telecom infrastructure in several countries including Italy, France and Germany enables a seamless e-learning experience as content is streamed with high speeds without buffering time industry. This has supported the growth of e-learning in the region along with high disposable income, and the market is expected to grow with a CAGR of more than 10% in the forecasted period.

E-learning platforms permit companies to train their remote workforce, which includes employees working in manufacturing facilities or on fields, in a uniform manner. On the other hand, the mobile e-learning market is expected to gain higher market share in Europe owing to the growing penetration of smartphones in the region. Smartphone ownership rates are about six-in-ten in Russia, and around eight in ten in the UK. Increasing penetration of strong internet connectivity along with growing smartphone adoption will boost the mobile e-learning market growth in Europe. The mobile e-learning segment is to grow with more than 10% CAGR. Rising adoption of digital learning techniques by corporate organizations as well as educational institutions is positively swaying Europe e-learning market dynamics.

The government sector is making use of video conferencing and online techniques extensively to reach out to the masses during such crucial the COVID-19 crisis. Several regional employers are adopting training techniques that can reduce the amount of training time taken from work hours while delivering learning flexibility to their employees. This is to fuel the market growth of the corporate e-learning during the upcoming period. The industry is also witnessing ample support from the government sector as many government agencies look to educate employees and the general populace about the coronavirus pandemic and ways to keep oneself safe. Recently, after the recommendation of the UK government, Nimble platform has started offering a COVID-19 Awareness Course free of cost on its platform.

UK (United Kingdom) holds the largest market share in the Europe however its market share is expected to decline in the e-learning market due to the shifting demographics of the country. Currently, in the education system development in Russia, the main focus is not only on the issue of its availability, but also the development of domestic learning software. The Italian government has designed a website to support schools to activate different forms of online learning during the lockdown period linked to the coronavirus emergency. Similarly, educational institutions in Germany, France, and Spain also shifted to online lectures during the pandemic. The key players operating in Europe’s market have observed a major boost in the enrolment with the on-going pandemic and they are targeting specific customer demands and adopting various strategies to capture a widespread customer base in the Europe e-Learning market.

While countries across the Europe, including Italy, were facing the wrath of COVID-19 infection, paralyzing several businesses and witnessing nationwide lockdown, various state and central governments came up with an idea of shifting corporates and educational institutions on digital platforms. Adding to this, these governments have begun undertaking required measures to proliferate the use of e-learning platforms so that education and corporate sectors observe constant and smooth functioning.For instance, the Italian government had in early 2020 designed a website to support schools activate vivid forms of online learning during the lockdown period enforced due to pandemic scare. The links of several sections of the page enable users to reach and use the tools and platforms made feasible to educational institutions free of charge, enabled by particular protocols signed by the Ministry of Education.In addition to this, rising penetration of robust internet connectivity in conjugation with escalating smartphone adoption would positively influence the overall market growth.

In the European region, e-learning is gaining preference in the corporate sector, where a range of e-learning tools and modules, like gamification and LMS, are incorporated in employee training programs. The Europe e-learning market is primarily driven by the presence of well-established education infrastructure. Several renowned European universities have been offering blended learning experiences to students. As a result, the demand for personalized courses and content and customized learning tools is higher in the region. Apart from this, due to various advantages, such as accessibility to multiple classes and interactive lectures and sessions, there has been a rise in the adoption of e-learning solutions in Europe.

Also, the availability of subject proficiency assessments and certifications is driving the growth in the e-learning market in Europe. Assessments on e-learning courses help in estimating the level of subject proficiency of learners. They also help in building awareness about the progress of learners in learning a subject concept. E-learning courses also enable learners to re-study the sections of subject content in which they have scored less during the assessment. Learners are certified after the completion of their e-learning courses based on grades achieved in assessments. Certifications on specific subjects help learners build their credentials for future job opportunities. Therefore, regular assessments on the subject knowledge efficiency and certifications are expected to drive for the growth of the market in focus during the forecast period.

However, the high development cost associated with e-learning courses will challenge the e-learning market in Europe during the forecast period. The development and design cost of e-learning courses depend on the instructional design model chosen. Therefore, the development of e-learning courses for different target learners groups incurs high costs. The development process involves the roles of subject matter experts (SMEs), instructional design team, project management team, and technical staff specialists, which incur high variable costs. Therefore, the high development cost associated with e-learning courses is likely to slow down the growth of the market in focus.The e-learning market in Europe is highly dependent on cultural factors, smartphone penetration, internet connectivity, and learning methods. Various European countries pose different consumption patterns due to a variety of educational methods. Scandinavian countries spend a lot on the adoption of online learning courses and are major exporters of e-learning solutions.

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has positively impacted the e-learning industry in Europe, with several educational institutions using online learning platforms for conducting lectures to ensure social distancing. For instance, the Technical Economic Institute Tosi of Busto Arsizio in Lombardy, the region most hit by the pandemic, activated a new online teaching mode as early as February 2020. This included teaching in MOOC mode, virtual classes, and smart working following the normal school timetable. Similarly, The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP in Spanish) launched a new website, I learn at home (Aprendo en casa) offering online resources such as training courses, materials, platforms, and tools.

The mobile e-learning market will gain traction in Europe with the growing penetration of smartphones in the region. Smartphone ownership rates are closer to six-in-ten in developed countries, such as Greece, Poland, and Russia, according to Pew Research Center. According to Ofcom’s annual Media Nation’s report, as of 2019, eight in ten adults in the UK have a smartphone, which they use to watch videos online. Increasing penetration of strong internet connectivity coupled with growing smartphone adoption will drive the mobile e-learning market growth in Europe.The key players operating in the market are Cisco Systems, Inc., Meridian Knowledge Solutions, Microsoft Corporation, Adobe Systems Inc., Oracle Corporation, and Skillsoft. These players are targeting specific customer demands and adopting several strategies to capture a widespread customer base in the Europe e-Learning market. For instance, in January 2018, NetDimensions introduced its Talent Slate 2.5 mobile learning app that adds greater online integration with the ability to launch modules directly without downloading them, randomize questions for offline assessments, pop up window capabilities, and enhance access to knowledge centers.Classic buyers of eLearning products and services in Europe, including schools, government, higher education, and corporate, are highly demanding. Experts predict that the rise in demand for continuous learning in Europe will lead to a greater adoption of different learning methodologies and products.

News and Developments in the Market in Europe

In May 2022, Glion Institute of Higher Education introduced a free online course, The Luxury Industry: Customers and Luxury Experiences, for the luxury sector. The course, delivered through FutureLearn platform, aims at bolstering the knowledge of luxury professionals. The course would offer learners insights on evolving luxury consumer relationships and is ideal for individuals aiming to foray into the luxury sector. The introduction of such courses is likely to aid the Europe mobile e-learning market development.

In January 2022, EMCDDA announced the launch of its new e-learning platform, PLATO, on the International Day of Education. The multilingual integrated platform was developed to facilitate discussion, e-learning, and online training that targets opinion, policy, and decision makers at regional or local levels.

In November 2021, FutureLearn launched free digital learning courses in Scotland. The courses, funded by the Natural Transition Training Fund (NTTF) of the Scottish government, aimed to provide 20,000 people with access to online courses. The courses were also aimed to tackle increasing skills issues while supporting small, independent, and local businesses across the country. Such launches are propelling the Europe mobile e-learning market demand.

In November 2021, Alison unveiled its free online resource, Digital Marketing Hub. The hub, featuring top recommended courses and useful articles, was aimed to expand the marketing knowledge of learners to enable them either up-skill their marketing areas or launch their careers from scratch.

In October 2021, 2U partnered with Saïd Business School, Oxford University, and announced the launch of six GetSmarter professional short courses to expand its portfolio of market-relevant online business programmes. The courses were aimed at offering high-quality and flexible development programmes to learners across the globe. Moreover, the partnership between the company and the educational institution was extended until 2024. Such partnerships among the leading companies and universities and colleges are fuelling the Europe mobile e-learning market growth.

In December 2020, 2U announced an expanded partnership with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the University of London to launch two additional online undergraduate degrees. The partnership was aimed at surging the accessibility of high-quality online learning programmes.

Covid-19 Impact:

The onset of COVID-19 pandemic across the European economies resulted in the crippling of various business including the globally humongous construction and automotive industries. Ironically though, the pandemic hasn’t been able to impact the burgeoning dynamics of the e-learning industry across the continent. In fact, coronavirus pandemic offered a significant boost to the overall market in Europe, as education institutions and corporate offices switched to online modes of connection, adopting digital learning techniques to ensure smooth business operations while also looking forward to abiding by the social distancing norms.Furthermore, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has severely impacted the region and pushed many companies to opt for e-learning platforms for providing corporate training to employees. Besides this, educational institutions have also entirely shifted from classroom lectures to virtual classrooms amid the pandemic for completing the curriculum that is accessible regardless of the time and place.

Major Companies present in the market

Adobe Inc., Blackboard Inc., Cisco systems Inc., Citrix system Inc., Docebo Inc., Gp Strategies Corporation, Oracle corporation, Pearson plc, Skillsoft Corporation

Considered In the Report

• Geography: Europe
• Historical year: 2016
• Base year: 2021
• Estimated year: 2022
• Forecasted year: 2027

Countries covered:

• Germany
• UK
• France
• Spain
• Italy
• Russia

Aspects Covered In the Report

• Market Size By Value for the historic time period (2016-2021)
• Market Size By Value for the forecast time period (2022-2027)
• Market Share by Technology (Online e-learning, LMS (Learning management system), Mobile e-learning, Rapid e-learning, Virtual classroom, Others)
• Market Share by Producers (Service & Content)
• Market Share by Application (Academic, K-12, Higher education, Vocational training, Corporate, SMBs, Large enterprises, Government)
• Market Share by Country (2016, 2021 & 2027F)

Intended Audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to the E-learning industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.