Schools Out!

Just got back from serving on the UCE/tic review panel. Blimey! A really eye-opening event for me, I learnt a huge amount about what goes into designing, running and modifying modern Degree courses and gained a real insite into how education estabishments develop and run their courses.

When I was at university I felt my course was cobbled together using a formula based on who was around and what resources we're available. These days (well going by what I experienced during this process) , courses are developed with a clear intention of providing essential, up-to-date skills that will serve the student so well in the modern IT & media sectors.

I had been asked to participate in the approval of two new degree courses, the re-approval of two existing ones and the approval of five new Foundation courses. A group of 'outsiders' from industry and other education estabishments were preseted with a huge pile of documentation relating to each course. Over two days we toured the facilities, attended presentations and interviewed members of the Faculty. we needed to know about the courses, their content, student support, objectives etc and formed an opinion about each one. We also proposed additions or reccomendations about each course based on our own experiences and expectations. Some pretty heavy stuff!

I won't ramble on too much, but I'd really like to thank UCE and the tic for giving me this opportunity to be 'on the other side of the fence'. And, more importantly, I'd like to congratulate them on having some wonderful facilities in which to provide some much needed industry skills.

Well done chaps!