By Gavin Mackintosh-
Oxford University has terminated its partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
The collaboration aimed to showcase TCS’s digital assessment capabilities on a large scale. While the deal size and the exit clause remain undisclosed, industry experts suggest the deal could have been worth around $5 million.
The alliance between TCS and Oxford University was relatively short-lived, lasting barely a year. TCS, through its learning, development, and assessment-focused unit TCS iON, had taken over from Cambridge Admissions Assessment Testing to provide technical services for Oxford University’s admission tests.
The decision to terminate the partnership comes in the wake of technical issues faced by candidates during the delivery of online admissions tests by TCS iON.
In a statement, Oxford University said: “Following the technical problems experienced by some candidates during the delivery of this year’s online admissions tests by a new provider, TCS will not be involved in the delivery of Oxford admissions tests going forward.”
The university emphasized that the decision was made after careful consideration of the issues and feedback from candidates, teachers, and test centers.
While specific details regarding the nature of the technical problems were not provided, it is evident that the challenges were significant enough to prompt the university to sever ties with TCS.
Phil Fersht, CEO of HfS Research, noted that although the deal might not have been substantial in monetary terms, estimated at around $5 million, it held significant potential for TCS as a platform solution.
Fersht remarked that once operational, the partnership could have been highly profitable for TCS and presented an opportunity to replicate the model for other learning institutions.
TCS has yet to respond to queries regarding the termination of its partnership with Oxford University.