ILIAS

What Is ILIAS?

ILIAS is a learning platform with integrated tools for courses, tests, and communication. Its course tools let teachers set a fixed time for each course. Instead of a time period, teachers have the option to base a course on learning objectives. Both types of courses can include different materials, tools, and tests. For new materials, ILIAS has its own format for learning modules. In addition to modules, teachers can upload their own files. When teachers update a file, ILIAS lets them inform students about the new version. Students, in turn, can submit homework and reports through the exercise tool. Teachers or classmates can then correct the homework with feedback.

For tests, ILIAS offers self-tests that students use to check their own progress. Besides self-tests, teachers can run full online exams in the test tool. Question pools let teachers share exam questions with their colleagues. For communication, teachers can put students into permanent or short-term groups. Chat and mail give group members a way to contact each other.

What Is ILIAS Best For?

ILIAS stands out for its "test and assessment" tool, which organizations get at no extra cost. The tool lets teachers run anything from self-tests to complete e-exams. To prepare each test, teachers can take questions from question pools that all colleagues share. During each e-exam, administrators have kiosk mode and IP allocation as security safeguards. After the e-exam, ILIAS lets staff score the results by participant or by question. Staff can also score participants anonymously through test IDs for more impartial results. It results in documented learning progress that teams can check after every test.

How Much Does ILIAS Cost?

ILIAS is free open-source software that organizations can use without paying license fees. Although it has no license fee, organizations should typically plan for these approximate additional expenses:

• Implementation And Setup: Approximately $5,000–$20,000 one-time, depending on the organization size and deployment requirements
• Hosting And Server Management: Typically, $2,000–$12,000/year, based on hosting needs and system usage
• Training: Approximately $1,500–$8,000 one-time, depending on the number of administrators and staff requiring training
• Custom Development And Plugins: Typically, $5,000–$30,000 one-time, based on the complexity of required custom features and extensions
• System Integrations: Approximately $5,000–$25,000 one-time, depending on the number of systems and integration complexity

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary.

ILIAS Integrations

Information about third-party software integrations has not been specified by the vendor.

How Does ILIAS Work?

After installing ILIAS on a server, organizations can use the platform through the following steps:

• Log in to the organization's ILIAS installation with a user account
• Assign users to roles that allow access only to specific content and tools
• Build courses that combine learning materials, tools, and tests
• Upload course files through drag and drop to share them with learners
• Place learners in permanent or short-term groups for discussions and teamwork
• Run self-tests or full e-exams to check learning progress
• Check learning progress in each course through the personal progress chart
• Award certificates to learners who complete courses and tests successfully

Who Is ILIAS For?

Organizations in the following industries and sectors use ILIAS for learning and training:

• Education
• Government and public administration
• Insurance
• Military and defense
• Police, fire, and emergency services
• Air traffic control

ILIAS Use Cases

Based on our evaluation of ILIAS features and market positioning, we have determined four common ways to use the platform:

1. Universities Setting Up Many New Courses Every Semester

Each semester, universities have to set up a large number of new courses for their students. To prepare the courses, universities connect ILIAS to the administration systems they already use. The administration systems then create each course in ILIAS with its list of students. University staff therefore do not set up each course by hand every semester. ILIAS gives every new course the same layout as all other courses. As a result, students use many courses without learning a new layout for each one.

2. Insurance Companies Running Online And Classroom Training Separately

Some insurance companies offer online courses and classroom training to staff as separate programs. ILIAS lets insurance companies combine both types of training in one system. Training teams then use ILIAS to manage training for every sales channel. For each qualification, staff follow set learning paths with certificates. Self-service functions let staff book and cancel their own training sessions. Staff now see all training in one overview, whether it takes place online or in a classroom.

3. Vocational Schools Unable To Give Feedback During Work Placements

When schools use a traditional work placement report, vocational students get feedback only after they leave the workplace. In care assistant training, for example, schools replace the report with tasks in the ILIAS exercise tool. Through the tool, students receive quick feedback on each task during the placement. Besides teacher feedback, the tool allows classmates to correct each other's tasks. Students then have the chance to improve their work while they are still at the workplace.

4. Government Agencies Struggling To Match Training To Staff Needs

Large government agencies need to offer each staff member the right training. To choose the right training, agencies use both a 360-degree staff survey and a competence management tool in ILIAS. With both tools, agencies find the strengths and weaknesses of their staff. ILIAS makes the learning progress of staff available only in ways that meet staff council rules. In the end, agencies offer training for the areas where their staff are weakest.

Is ILIAS Right For You?

ILIAS suits organizations that want to run courses, exams, and staff training on their own platform. The software has no license fee, so organizations mainly pay for hosting and services. Even without a license fee, every installation includes the core tools for courses, tests, and communication. Administrators can turn off any of these tools that a user group does not need.

Many universities use ILIAS for courses that mix online and classroom teaching. Its users include the University of Cologne, Generali Insurance, and the South Tyrol provincial government. Beyond classroom teaching, the platform supports current learning trends such as e-portfolios, open learning materials, and mobile learning. For required staff training, ILIAS can enroll employees in courses automatically. Employees who pass these courses and tests can then receive a certificate. For course content, ILIAS holds a certification for its SCORM support, so teams can use and build SCORM learning modules.

For data protection, organizations can host ILIAS on their own server or with a hosting partner. In both cases, organizations keep full control over their data. Teams can also set up ILIAS to follow European data protection rules under GDPR. Within ILIAS, administrators can assign roles so that each manager sees only their own team's data. Service providers across Europe offer installation, hosting, and training for organizations that need help. Since ILIAS 11, administrators can also set up guided tours for new users.

Still not sure if ILIAS software is right for you? Contact us at (661) 384-7070 to help you understand the platform better.