The importance of VLE in European Higher Education has accelerated in the last five years under the influence of European policy initiatives, complemented by national developments. These changes have been accompanied by, and extended through the initiatives of three multinational corporations based in North America, although a number of national products, including open source VLE have been made available. This situation is described in the EU e- learning strategy "Virtual campuses for all students. By end 2005, Member States, supported by the eLearning and eTEN programmes should ensure that all universities offer online access for students and researchers to maximise the quality and efficiency of learning processes and activities." The cost structure of the products of the major commercial suppliers tends to encourage central provision of VLE and, it is argued, a degree of inflexibility in delivery especially when linked to student management information systems. It is also argued that this approach promotes a degree of pedagogical inflexibility. In this situation, it is argued that the evolution of international specifications such as IMS and SCORM are likely to reflect market power rather than educational needs.The paper will review the main features of VLE and the principal approaches to their implementation and will analyse their contribution to learning with reference to three models "Cognitive Apprenticeship," "Conversational Framework for the Learning Process" and "Organisational Model for Learning Environments". A range of approaches to the specification of user requirements will be discussed and conclusions proposed as to the implications for universities in Europe. Specific attention will be paid to the implications for widening participation and the relationship between formal and non-formal learning, drawing on both UK and French experiences.Although the process described above is constructed around general theoretical perspectives and policies, there is limited evidence that this process has been regarded as problematic from the perspective of the users, the students or participants in formal learning . The theoretical issues involved in this evaluation will be analysed and proposals made for reliable and valid approaches to the evaluation and assessment of learning that will take account of the need to recognise knowledge and skills acquired through non-formal learning. Two case studies, one from the UK and one from France will be used to analyse the issues involved.Initial proposals will be made for an evaluative framework which reflects the importance of improving the quality of and access to formal learning by the users of VLE .