18th January 2002
WORLD FIRST FOR BARNSLEY AS CAMBRIDGE ONLINE LEARNING LAUNCHES

Barnsley is to be the home of the world’s first online Action Learning centre accredited by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), following the announcement that Cambridge Online Learning will start to offer its new ’virtual’ qualifications from a base at Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC) in March. UCLES is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge Online Learning (COL) will officially be launched in Barnsley at the new Brooklands Hotel on 24 January, by John Healey MP, Minister for Adult Skills. A host of senior delegates including Dr James Espey, Chairman of Cambridge Online Learning, Dr David Towler, Chief Executive of Cambridge Online Learning, Michelle Lofthouse, Director of Customer Development at Cambridge International Examinations; and John Penney, Chief Executive of Barnsley Development Agency (BDA) will be speaking at the launch.

Individuals from all over the world will now be able to sign up to one of two flexible online management qualifications – the Executive Certificate and the Executive Diploma – from one of the world’s finest education establishments. The qualifications are unique to Cambridge Online Learning, which is committed to an Action learning philosophy, focusing on the application of knowledge to work-based issues and problems.

David Towler commented : “These are incredibly exiting times for Cambridge Online Learning and we’re delighted that this world first in online Action Learning is able to happen from a base in Barnsley. We chose the town as our base for a number of reasons, and we are particularly grateful for the excellent support and guidance of Barnsley Development Agency, who were determined to help us to bring Cambridge Online Learning to the area”.

“We recently launched the qualifications in the Cultural and Heritage Sector, in partnership with the Yorkshire Museums Council, at Wakefield College, and the response has already been tremendous with our first students already registering for a March start date for both the Certificate and the Diploma”.

Speakers at the Cultural and Heritage Sector launch were Jane Walton, Director (Access and Learning) for the Yorkshire Museums Council; David Wears, Director of the Cultural Heritage National Training Organisation; and David Towler.

David Towler continued: “Traditional business courses are expensive, time consuming, have little practical benefit, and fail to meet the challenges of a dynamic, fluid modern business environment. Cambridge Online Learning’s qualifications tackle all these negatives head-on, providing action learning that concentrates on real life management issues in the workplace. This work based on-line approach results in minimal disruption to business in return for tangible business benefits, with total reliability and client confidentiality guaranteed.”

Students will be able to access the www.cambridge-online-learning.co.uk portal from anywhere in the world, at any time of day, in any time zone, and catch up with their course, - communicating on-line with their own study group in their own private, secure area of the site. They can also gain access to all their learning materials including an on-line library with over 1 million management articles.

John Penney, Chief Executive of Barnsley Development Agency, said :
“This truly is fantastic news for Barnsley. Cambridge Online Learning brings a prestigious, world leading brand that any town would welcome with open arms, and if it is as successful as we believe it will be, Cambridge Online Learning is potentially a significant contributor to Barnsley’s regeneration, providing jobs and encouraging inward investment in years to come. BDA will continue to provide ongoing support and assistance to help the business expand in Barnsley, and we wish David and all the team well with their launch at Brooklands on 24 January, and with the start of their inaugural courses in March.”

For further information on Cambridge Online Learning contact Julie Pawson on (01226) 321717 or e-mail jpawson@cambridge-online-learning.co.uk. For further information on Barnsley, contact Barnsley Development Agency on (01226) 784444.


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