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Back row left to right
Ann Osborne(EGSA), Patricia Short(OCN NI), Julie Williams-Nash(UCU), Alan Carr(OUI), Roisin Kelly(NICVA), Fergal O’Donnell(RCN), Brendan Clarke(OCN NI)
Front row left to right
Colin Neilands(WEA), Pauline Collins(OUI), Basil McCrea MLA, Committee for Employment and Learning(Chair)
The Committee for Employment and Learning hosted the launch of Adult Learners Week 2012 in the Long Gallery of Stormont. This event was organised by FALNI (the Forum for Adult Learning NI) and showcased examples of adult learning projects that had inspired and engaged adult learners in workplaces and communities, including examples of educational opportunities provided by the Open University in partnership with other educational providers, employers and trade unions.
The Open University welcomes the publication of Graduating to Success - a Higher Education Strategy for Northern Ireland which has been launched on 24th April 2012 by Dr Stephen Farry MLA.
John D'Arcy, Director of The Open University in Ireland said: "The Open University looks forward to working with the Department and its partners in the Higher Education sector, and with colleagues across Northern Ireland to take forward the strategy."
He added that: "The Open University particularly welcomes the emphasis on part-time learning, modular study and the use of the internet and new technology to support students."
Pictured from left to right John D'Arcy (Director Open University in Ireland), Trevor Ringland (solicitor and former Rugby Union winger) and Gareth Quinn (Chair of MBA Association of Ireland - Northern Chapter).
A new partnership between Northern Ireland’s leading professional management network and Europe’s largest business school is set to boost leadership and managerial skills in the region.
The Northern Chapter of the MBA Association of Ireland (MBAAI) – the representative body for Masters in Business Administration (MBA) graduates living and working across the island of Ireland – has signed the Open University Ireland (OUI) Business School up as a strategic partner.
The deal means enhanced continuous learning for MBA students and members locally, and greater opportunities to network, share knowledge and stimulate collaboration. Closer ties with the OUI will also widen access for local business leaders to a global network of partnerships.
The MBAAI now has agreements in place with all three of the province’s business schools (QUB; University of Ulster; OUI).
Setting the seal on their partnership, the OUI and MBAAI plan to host an exclusive seminar in Belfast involving top practitioners and industry experts focusing on ‘the art of negotiation’. The conference will look at negotiation skills within the contexts of: dispute resolution; tech companies preparing for IPO; the M&A process; and wider community and political engagement. Leading mediation law expert Trevor Ringland has been confirmed as one of the main speakers.
Gareth Quinn, Chair MBA Association of Ireland (Northern Chapter), said: “The MBAAI and our local business schools share a vision to develop and promote excellence and innovation within the local business community.
“More than 50,000 people from over 100 countries have benefited from the OU’s managerial courses. The presence of Europe’s biggest business school in Northern Ireland can only support the advancement of skills and management practice within the region.”
The MBAAI – whose members include President Mary McAleese, Sir George Quigley and Padraig O’Ceidigh – has seen a 50% increase in membership over the last 12 months. To cater for this growing network, the association has taken up residence at Queen’s University’s newly opened business school at Riddel Hall.
John D’Arcy, Director of the OU in Ireland, said: "The Open University in Ireland is delighted to be part of the MBA Association of Ireland and looks forward to playing an active role in it. With The OU's expertise and track record in offering a triple accredited and popular MBA, I know we can add real value to the MBA Association in Ireland. I look forward to welcoming members to our first event in association with MBAAI at our National Centre in Belfast"
Anyone interested in seeking to join the MBAAI should contact Gareth Quinn on garethquinn@mbaassociation.ie or call 0044 7766 548 755.
Broadcast: 16 January (8.30pm), 17 & 18 January (8pm), BBC Two
Stargazing LIVE, the hugely popular BBC Two series enjoyed by millions is back for a second series. Accompanying the series, produced in partnership with The Open University, will be hundreds of live events across the country giving everyone - from amateurs to experts - the chance to get involved.
Presented by Professor Brian Cox, Dara O'Briain and Mark Thompson, the series will broadcast live from the control room of the Jodrell Bank radio observatory in Cheshire, over three nights.
Liz Bonnin will also appear live, reporting from the South African Astronomical Observatory near Cape Town, the home of SALT, the largest optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. Over the three nights, viewers will become Stargazing's eyes and ears across the country, as their images, feedback and questions are incorporated into the shows.
Highlights of the new series include an attempt to turn off every single light in the town of Dulverton in Somerset, as part of a Stargazing LIVE demonstration showcasing the beauty of a night sky free from the effects of light pollution, and a special guest appearance by Captain Eugene Cernan, the last man ever to walk on the surface of the moon.
John D’Arcy, Director of The Open University in Ireland, said “The Stargazing LIVE partnership between The Open University and the BBC is one of my favourite initiatives as it offers everyone a real chance to engage in what can seem as very complicated science. While it is no doubt complicated, these programmes and their presenters really make it interesting, practical and fun. There are many ways in which people can continue to engage with The Open University following the programme through OpenLearn and free Star and Moon Guide.”
Dr David Rothery, who chairs The Open University's planetary science course and is involved in the European Space Agency's mission to Mercury, said: "I learned my way round the night sky when I was a schoolboy in Birmingham. Stargazing LIVE will help other people achieve the same, and I hope it will also open their eyes to the amazing discoveries that have been made in our Solar System and beyond."
Lisa Ausden, Executive Producer for the BBC, says: "We were bowled over by the response to Stargazing LIVE last year, with some four million viewers tuning in to learn about the wonders of the night sky. We lucked out with a meteor making a live appearance, the international space station glinting into view overhead and some incredible images of the partial eclipse, photographed and sent in by our audience.
"This time we'll be switching off the lights of a whole town in Somerset to demonstrate the effects of light pollution, broadcasting live from Cape Town, and welcoming a very special guest, the last man to step foot on the moon. We will also be laying down a unique challenge to viewers to help us find a brand new planet. I, for one, cannot wait!"
The Open University is offering people, inspired,by Stargazing LIVE, the chance to continue exploring the night skies. OpenLearn, its free interactive study site, offers insight into our solar system, constellations and space from astronomy and planetary experts, as well as tools such as the Virtual Planisphere, an interactive telescopic guide to the night sky.
With support from The Open University, BBC Learning is producing 80,000 copies of a free Star and Moon Guide that will be available at hundreds of special astronomy events held across the country to coincide with the series. The guide suggests ways to take the learning journey even further, through free courses, such as The Moon and The Sun, available on OpenLearn.
Editor's Notes
Stargazing LIVE is a partnership between The Open University and the BBC. The Executive Producer for the BBC is Lisa Ausden and the series producer is Alan Holland. The Open University academic consultants for the series are Dr Stephen Serjeant, Dr Andrew Norton and Dr David Rothery.
Following the announcement of its fee levels for undergraduate students across the UK, The Open University today announces its fee levels for undergraduate students resident outside of the UK (including the Republic of Ireland) and for postgraduate students across all jurisdictions.
Undergraduate fees for new students outside of the UK
Undergraduate fees for new students resident outside of the UK (including the Republic of Ireland) and starting their studies after 1 September 2012 will be the same as for new students in England: £5,000 for 120 credits, £2,500 (60 credits) and £1,250 (30 credits). An honours degree totals 360 credits. At these prices, an honours degree with the OU will total £15,000. This fee is a standard across all subject areas and modules.
The OU has kept fees as low as possible while sustaining high quality and remaining true to its mission of being open to all.
Undergraduate fees for current students outside of the UK (including the Republic of Ireland)
Most current OU students outside of the UK (including the Republic of Ireland) will be able to complete their qualifications at a price and pace consistent with their expectations when they started their course, under the OU’s transitional fee arrangements. This means fees for most current students will remain at current levels, subject to inflation-linked increases. These arrangements are on the same terms as those for current students in England.
Postgraduate fees across all jurisdictions
Fee levels for taught postgraduate study across all jurisdictions will be broadly at current levels plus inflation. Current prices for taught postgraduate degrees start from £3,495. Specific fees for 2012/13 will be available in the OU’s online prospectus in early 2012 www.open.ac.uk/study.
The Open University is the UK’s biggest university and a world leader in flexible part-time education, with more than 264,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, including 18,000 outside of the UK studying directly with the University. The OU has developed a unique “supported open learning” model, which enables students to fit studies around their commitments, supported by a network of Associate Lecturers, online forums and through contact with their peers via tutorials, online conferencing, social networks, study groups and events. It is through this proven model of education, together with the OU’s scale, reach and expertise, that the University is able to continue to offer excellent value. The OU will retain its open access policy and continues to welcome all students.
The OU has created a website to communicate these changes to current and potential students, employers and partners: www.open.ac.uk/fees2012.
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