Online study is an excellent choice – provided it is pedagogically designed and supported by quality standards.
At DOBA Business School, online does not mean “recordings of lectures and teacher presentations”, but rather a structured learning path, regular and meaningful interaction (with a personal online mentor and lecturer), problem-based learning, and excellent support, confirmed by the international EOCCS (EFMD) certificate. In 2018, 2021, and 2024, quality assessments of our courses confirmed that our model meets the highest European standards of online education.
What does the EOCCS international accreditation mean for you?
- Independent quality assurance: DOBA Business School stands alongside the most prestigious European business schools that meet EOCCS (EFMD) standards. This guarantees you a comparable quality of online education.
- Transparent design and assessment: clear learning outcomes, assessment criteria, and structured activities.
- Ongoing interaction and support: proven, effective online mentoring and personalised academic advising with high responsiveness that prevents “learning in isolation.”
Advantages of high-quality online study include flexibility in terms of time, place, and pace of study; collaborative and problem-based learning with regular feedback from the online mentor and university lecturer; 24/7 access to study materials; teamwork among students; comprehensive support (from lecturers, online mentors, academic advisors, and technical staff); active learning; and international quality recognition.
Disadvantages of low-quality online study include “assignment submission” without feedback, little interaction with lecturers, a sense of student isolation, an unclear or unstructured course design, and slow technical support.
How DOBA Connects with the World’s Best Models
Below we summarise the most prestigious online practices and compare how they are implemented at DOBA Business School.
- The Open University (England) – 200,000 online students.
Renowned for its personal tutors (associate lecturers), who regularly assess and guide progress. At DOBA, this is reflected in the tandem of the online mentor and university lecturer, who lead structured course activities, teamwork, and provide ongoing feedback, supported by 24/7 access to materials.
- ASU Online (USA) – 73,000 online students.
ASU uses a standardised course design (e.g. 7.5-week modules) and strong support systems to ensure high-quality online study. At DOBA, we similarly provide a predictable, clearly defined learning path (courses last 4–6 weeks), fixed assignment deadlines, and comprehensive support (lecturer, online mentor, academic advisor, technical services).
- FernUniversität in Hagen (Germany) – 72,000 students.
It emphasises asynchronous materials, short teacher webinars, and strong support for adult learners and employability. At DOBA, this is complemented by the guidance of both online mentors and lecturers, as well as personal academic advisors, together with structured feedback on assignments. We also ensure a clear learning path and schedules – assignment deadlines are known before the start of each course. The model provides 24/7 access, a combination of asynchronous study and planned interactions, and systematic student support.
Quick Checklist for Choosing a High-Quality Online Programme:
- Internationally verified quality (e.g. EOCCS)
- Clear learning path and assessment criteria
- Regular and meaningful interaction (online mentor, timely feedback)
- Collaborative tasks and links to practice (projects, real-world challenges)
- 24/7 accessibility and technical support
- Graduate career progression after completion of studies
DOBA Business School is a pioneer in online education in South-East Europe. It offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes in the fields of business, marketing, psychology, social studies, education, innovation, and smart cities. Programmes can be studied in Slovenian, Croatian, or English, and all are delivered 100% online. The school has more than 2,000 students annually and over 11,000 alumni. Around 50% of students come from abroad. DOBA Business School employs 41 staff members and works with 105 university lecturers and 135 online mentors.
More than 70% of graduates are promoted or achieve a higher salary within a year of completing their studies. DOBA is the first institution in Slovenia and South-East Europe to receive international accreditation for online education.
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