Swiss higher education institutions have widely experimented with eLearning. However, sustainable integration proved to be more difficult than anticipated. The lack of a coordinated and strategic approach was presumed to be one of the core problems.
As a response, in this research the activities of three innovative American research universities were studied with a qualitative case study approach, including more than 50 interviews with key persons reflecting a wide variety of perspectives. Theoretical propositions were developed applying a grounded theory method of data analysis. Very soon, it became clear that insufficient faculty motivation is a common barrier for the sustainable integration of eLearning into university teaching. Hence, support and intervention strategies in the area of competence development and assistance with course design are identified. A particular lack of support was detected in the reflection phase in which faculty assess the quality of the course design and decide on further initiatives and time committed to teaching.
It is suggested that a coherent support process needs to be planned and implemented incorporating substantial collaboration across all involved support units. Such a process includes regular needs analysis, a sound set of standard services, individual consulting, integrated projects, as well as serious evaluation activities.
Strategic management regarding these activities at research universities is difficult and requires adaptations to the specific cultural context. An eLearning strategy not only needs to specify an eLearning business model but it should also consider the formal and informal incentive structure for faculty as well as an adequate policy framework. Furthermore, an eLearning strategy ought to make clear statements regarding the structural conditions for eLearning support.
More specifically, an eLearning support strategy needs to be developed taking cultural conditions proactively into account and coordinating activities along the support process across the involved units. Among these units, cross-disciplinary eLearning centers take a critical role in facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration of local and central eLearning initiatives. The substantial involvement of the libraries and their support culture were particularly insightful.
The relevance of the results presented for the Swiss higher education context was evaluated.

The starting point and motivation of Zellweger's research study is the current situation at Swiss higher education institutions in terms of implementing eLearning. The lack of a coordinated and strategic approach was presumed one of the core problems. According to the author, educational technology can pose both a threat and an opportunity in a rapidly changing environment. This environment requires that HEIs pose questions regarding the eLearning environment and find answers toward its integration to current university conditions – that is the main challenge of Zellweger's study and at the same her dissertation.
The research design is based on a qualitative methodology. The findings from over 50 interviews are presented in form of detailed qualitative case studies and cross case analysis. Within the author's research study three broad questions initially framed the focus of her research:

1. What are the elements of an adequate eLearning business model for a higher education institution?
2. What challenges do higher education institutions face toward implementing strategic considerations regarding eLearning?
3. What is the relevance of the findings from the American context for Swiss higher education institutions?

Since a number of American universities adopted eLearning much earlier than Swiss institutions, the author focused on the goal to investigate some of these initiatives in-depth. Therefore, elearning support strategies of three innovative American Universities are investigated: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University and Tufts University. On the basis of a comparative analysis recommendations are formulated on how structural and cultural conditions for elearning support may be derived in order to effectively reach out the faculty. Adequate strategic management practice on different levels is a conceptual helpful tool as well as convincingly illustrated in her thesis. A strategy should be developped and implemented at the following three levels:

• University Strategy (content: mission),
• eLearning Strategy (content: Business Model, eLearning specific issues)
• eLearning Support Strategy (content: Business Model, eLearning support specific issues)

The process within the three strategic levels is alsways focused on initiation, working mode and outcome.
Zellweger's dissertation contains a recommendation chapter which is of high value for elearning practitioners repsonsible at a strategic level. For every strategic level, she developped empirically proofed and theoretically sound recommendations which give the different stakeholders at HEI a clear strategic agenda of "How to strategically implement eLearning at the University".
In her study is assumed that theses findings are valid for Swiss universities or for the German-speaking European universities, but only within certain cultural and structural limitations. The author thorougly reflects the potential of a transfer of the study findings from the American to the Swiss context.
The systematic analysis of factors leading to success or failure of elearning at HEI and the structured strategic management practice on three different levels by giving clear recommendations are well substantiated and an important resource if not rather an absolute "must" for researchers who are interested in HEI development and for practitioners at HEI who belong to the management team of teaching and learning, elearning support leaders as well as elearning-project managers. www.elearning-reviews.org