The economics of e-learning was identified as a key priority for virtual campuses in the consultation workshop held in Brussels on 2004. During this period, the eLene-EE (Economics of E-learning) project has aimed to increase knowledge on the incentives to create virtual campuses and initiate teaching methods for education based on ICT and its effects. This special issue shows the theoretical framework defined and some of the results obtained within the project, funded by the European Commission. They are structured in four work packages: cost-benefit analysis of net based higher education, student performance of e-learning, indicators of e-learning, digital divides and e-learning.