An outside consultant has been hired by the Florida Board of Governors to study ways to expand online learning in the state university system. 

The Parthenon Group, with offices in Boston, London, Mumbai and San Francisco, was chosen out of seven companies who bid on the $270,000 project. That money was appropriated to the board during the last legislative session, the board announced Thursday.

The study follows a suggestion by incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford that the state look into adding a new, all online university to the state.