| Dear Colleague, Welcome to the September newsletter. In this issue, we have included various developments which we hope you will find informative. We look forward to receiving your feedback and hope you will inform us of any success stories that you would like to share with us.
NEWS The University of London International Programmes issued thousands of examination results last month. Many of our teaching institutions performed well, with a high percentage of International Programmes’ students passing their exams. The Institute of Law in Jersey, achieved a 97 per cent exam pass rate in their first year of teaching. Director of Studies Professor Andrew Le Suer said, ‘The students worked very hard and this is a great result for them, as well as being a tribute to our team of tutors.’ A new student intake and second year students at the Institute of Law are now looking forward to a successful year ahead. We would like to say congratulations to the staff and students at the Institute of Law for their efforts and achievements. We also extend our congratulations to staff and students based at our teaching institutions worldwide for their examination successes. Picture from the Jersey Evening Post showing successful LLB students: Amy Wilson, Carla Plater, Kate Ferbrache and Stephanie Troy with Professor Andrew Le Suer, the Director of Studies. Article includes extracts from the Jersey Evening Post newspaper.
NEW DIRECTORS FOR LSE AND GOLDSMITHS PROGRAMMES Dr Keith Sharp officially took up his post as Director, University of London International Programmes at LSE on 1 September. Keith has 20 years’ experience of working in British universities, including Coventry University, De Montfort University and the University of Gloucestershire, where he was Dean of Faculty and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor. In 2009-10, he spent a year as Head of the UK Higher Education International Unit based at Universities UK. Keith is very familiar with the area of international partnerships and transnational education. Keith is no stranger to LSE. He took his undergraduate degree at the LSE between 1984 - 87 and he graduated with a first in sociology, as well as being awarded the Hobhouse Memorial Prize. There is a one month overlap between Dr Sharp taking on the post and Rosie Gosling retiring on 1 October, Rosie will then take up her new role as Director, Institutional Liaison for the University of London International Programmes at LSE for a fixed-term period. She will continue her work in supporting and mentoring institutions teaching the EMFSS programmes. Dr Maggie Cooper took up her post as Director, University of London International Programmes in Computing at Goldsmiths on 1 September. Originally from an arts background, and with a PhD in computational lexicography, she started work as an editor for the Oxford English Dictionaries before moving to a career in research, teaching, and programme design and management in computing. Maggie also has a special interest in globalization in Higher Education, and extensive experience delivering lectures, seminars, conferences and workshops around the world. She reports that the computing team is currently working on expanding the computing portfolio to showcase the interdisciplinarity, creativity and innovation for which Goldsmiths is renowned.
HEAD OF INSTITUTIONS ASSURANCE, CORPORATE PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY APPOINTED Olly Chapman, formerly Programme Manager in CPQ has recently been appointed as the Head of Institutions Assurance within the Corporate Performance and Quality Directorate at the International Programmes. He will be working closely with colleagues at the Lead Colleges, the International Academy and naturally candidate and recognised centres on matters relating to annual and periodic monitoring and the Institutions Policy Framework (IPF). Olly has a long involvement with the University of London, having completed his undergraduate studies at the University of London Institute in Paris and more recently a postgraduate qualification in management at Birkbeck, University of London. Olly can be contacted on Olivier.Chapman@london.ac.uk
YEARBOOK FOR ALUMNI
Today we have launched the first yearbook for alumni. Graduating students of 2011 will be able to go online at www.gradfinale.co.uk to fill in their entries.
We hope that this will be a successful initiative, especially as it will have a contact list section which alumni have requested. There will also be pages on the Alumni Association, postgraduate studies, messages from the VC and Course Directors. We hope to update institutions on the progress of the alumni yearbook in future newsletters.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
In development: University of London undergraduate psychology programme The University of London International Programmes is currently developing an innovative undergraduate programme in psychology that may be taken via distance learning with local teaching support on a full or part-time basis. Pathways are being developed for:
• Students who wish to progress to postgraduate training in order to become professional psychologists
• Students who are pursuing a wide range of other careers including law, business, management, security, education and healthcare.
The programme will:
• Provide a thorough grounding in the issues, debates, theories and research methods that underpin contemporary psychology
• Pay particular attention to the cross-cultural aspects of psychological theory and methods
• Offer opportunities to explore the application of psychological theories and methods in a range of settings from industry to international development
• Give access to the research expertise of the three Colleges of the University of London who will deliver this programme in partnership (Birkbeck, Goldsmiths, Royal Holloway)
The intention is for the programme to include:
• A single honours degree
• Combined honours degrees [major / minor and joint]
• Electives in psychology for students on other programmes
• Certificates and Diplomas of Higher Education in psychology
We are currently seeking input from recognised centres to inform the design of the programme. If you would be willing to answer some brief questions to inform the design of the programme please contact: Katherine.bull@london.ac.uk by Friday 7 October.
OPERATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LONDON INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES SPECIAL EXAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS POLICY The International Programmes has published a policy regarding special examination arrangements for students with a disability and/or other specific access requirements. The policy informs students who may need special examination arrangements how to apply for such arrangements. Students who are eligible must make an application and provide up-to-date medical evidence and/or other supporting documents. Please note, applications must be made by the individual student and before the published deadline. To read the policy, please go to: www.londoninternational.ac.uk/contact_us/special_exam_arrangements.pdf
Conference - Adapting to disruptive Times: Emerging models for Higher Education provision The University of London International Programmes will host a conference on 3rd November 2011 based in London. The conference is titled, Adapting to disruptive Times: Emerging models for Higher Education provision. The aims of the conference are: • To explore the technological, international and socio-economic challenges to traditional Higher Education • To debate the extent to which these challenges necessitate structural change within institutions • To consider how universities and private providers are responding, and further likely changes.
The speakers include university Vice Chancellors from various institutions, including Professor Geoffrey Crossick, Vice-Chancellor University of London.
CENTRE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION Research in Distance Learning - Wednesday 26 October 2011 The CDE’s annual Research in Distance Education conference will be held on 26 October 2011, and we are delighted to announce that our two keynote speakers for the day will be Professor Eileen Scanlon, Associate Director (Research and Scholarship) at the Open University, and Professor Richard Noss, Co-Director of the London Knowledge Lab. Networking and discussion will be promoted during the seminars and panel discussions that span our three parallel strands: design for learning; supporting teaching and learning; and assessment. The conference in October will also feature extended workshop sessions looking at mobile learning, virtual learning environments and progression/retention. The conference will be of interest to anyone involved in distance learning research and practice, within the federal University of London and beyond. We will be streaming sessions and making podcasts available for anyone outside the UK interested in taking part remotely. Visit our conference page on the CDE website for more details and updates: http://bit.ly/n5TdAI
RECENT EVENTS THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS (EAIE) CONFERENCE IN COPENHAGEN Tangjie Ward and Tim Gore attended the European Association of International Educators (EAIE) conference in Copenhagen. EAIE is the most prominent European event of its kind and attracts many thousands of participants. As well as meeting many institutions and educational service providers, there was an opportunity to listen to prominent international speakers. One talk that seemed very relevant was from Jo Ritzen, who was President of Maastricht University until earlier this year and a former Dutch Minister of Education and Sciences. He spoke eloquently of a growing polarisation in the labour market between jobs that require the ability to work with great complexity, integrity and creativity and those that are more local or routine. There is a scarcity of talent for the former and a glut in the latter. He connected this with the changing expectations and learning styles of students who are getting more interested in working together; are motivated to do away with ‘intellectual property’; often work and study at the same time; increasingly devise their own education plan and are increasingly interested in blended, open and distance modes of learning.
VISITS TO UGANDA
On 9th September, Professor Jonathan Kydd, (Dean, University of London International Programmes) visited Multitech Business School, Kampala, Uganda. Multitech plans to start its teaching programme for our LLB in October. Professor Kydd was also invited to participate in the opening ceremony of Victoria University, Kampala.
VISITS TO INDIA
Jenny Hamilton (Director, Undergraduate Laws Programme), Rosie Gosling (Director, University of London International Programmes at LSE) and Tim Gore (Director, Global Networks and Communities) recently undertook an extensive visit to India. The visit included meetings with Tata Consultancy Services in Bangalore, our current and potential institutions and a range of senior stakeholders in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai. India is a difficult country to work in, primarily due to the uncertain regulatory environment but we are well established there and gradually expanding our engagement with around 500 current students. In Delhi, the team hosted a dinner for seventeen senior friends and supporters including the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University and a representative of the National Knowledge Commission.
VISIT TO KURDISTAN
On 6th and 7th September, Tangjie Ward, Head of Institutions and Global Development visited University of Kurdistan-Hawler, Iraq. According to Tangjie’s findings, Kurdistan is of great potential for University of London International Programmes, especially for the EMFSS programme and the MSc in Petroleum Geoscience.
INSTITUTIONS’ WORKSHOP - 22ND TO 23RD SEPTEMBER
The University hosted a workshop for new institutions at our London office on 22nd to 23rd September. Staff from institutions based in Nigeria, Ghana, Seychelles, New Zealand, Singapore, Bahrain, Russia and the UK attended and were given an overview of our programmes, processes and recent developments. It also proved a good opportunity to network with other teaching institutions and meet colleagues of University of London International Programmes. Please contact Clarissa Mudukuti: Clarissa.Mudukuti@london.ac.uk if you or any other staff at your institution would like to attend as a form of training or to up-date their knowledge.
CENTRE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION The Digital Divide - implications for equity in Higher Education in South Africa and in particular the University of South Africa (UNISA), the national open and distance learning university. The Centre recently hosted a presentation by Dr Jeanette Botha (University of South Africa) followed by a discussion on issues around the ‘digital divide’ within South Africa (something likely to be an issue in other countries around the world). The main thrust of the talk was: "Who are we teaching?” Dr Botha also alluded to the issue of technology driving education vs. education driving technology. She highlighted numerous concerns of developing world ODL practitioners and students, contextualizing ODEL in South Africa in the current socio-economic framework, with reference to Unisa. The argument was made for the pragmatic consideration of the acquisition and use of appropriate technologies in line with these "real world" considerations. We will be making resources from the session, including audio and presentation slides, available on our website. Visit this link for more details: http://bit.ly/rqZZwx
A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY - GRADUATION 2012 We would like to remind you of the two graduation ceremonies that will be held by the university on Tuesday 13 March 2012, at the Barbican Centre, London. For more information please refer to the following link: www.londoninternational.ac.uk/graduation/index.shtml
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