Distance
Learning
Programmes in the UK
The
United Kingdom has an enviable reputation for educational excellence,
attracting many overseas students to distance learning programmes run
by British organisations. Such excellence is not easily achieved; the
quality of UK distance learning programmes is due to a unique combination
of factors.
Many distance learning
providers in the UK have been in business for a considerable number
of years, accumulating a wealth of experience in the delivery and management
of this highly specialised educational field; established organisations
which have remained viable in a changing sector by adapting their experience
to the new challenges and technologies to transform how their students
learn, offering both continuity and innovation. At the same time, the
model provided by such well-established organisations has helped stimulate
the entry of new providers into the sector.
A second factor
is the British government's formal commitment to 'lifelong learning',
ensuring that individuals remain committed to and confident about learning
beyond formal schooling or professional training for qualifications.
This emphasis on learning for life affects all educational sectors in
the United Kingdom, but particularly distance learning, with its crucial
role as provider of the flexible educational opportunities essential
for many adult learners. International students can also benefit, as
the range and relevance of UK distance learning courses grows and becomes
available to them.
The third factor
is the existence of an independent body in the UK concerning itself
solely with this sector. For more than thirty years, the Open and Distance
Learning Quality Council (ODL QC) has helped to raise standards and
protect the interests of learners through the accreditation of providers
offering open and distance learning courses. ODL QC promotes quality
by establishing standards of education and training in open and distance
learning, recognising good quality provision, supporting and protecting
the interests of learners, encouraging the improvement of existing methods
and the development of new ones. The Council also links open and distance
learning with other forms of education and training, and promotes wider
recognition of the value of open and distance learning.
Steady expansion
within the distance learning sector means that there are now more good-quality
courses than ever available to prospective students, both within the
UK and overseas. Some students will study for pleasure, while others
will be seeking qualifications. Those students interested in studying
for interest or personal development can choose from courses ranging
from interior design to astronomy to yoga.
Other courses may
lead to a formal qualification of some kind. Many colleges, for example,
offer a comprehensive range of GCSE or A-level courses, thereby providing
qualifications recognised both within the United Kingdom and abroad.
Some colleges offer vocationally-orientated courses, assisting in career
development by enhancing the student's specialist knowledge and skills.
For example, students may study for the examinations of Chartered Institutes
in areas as diverse as shipbroking, water and environmental management,
housing and purchasing, to be recognised by valued employers the world
over. Indeed, many employers often sponsor their employees to undertake
these courses, as the skills and knowledge gained by the student enhances
the organisation for whom they work.
Other students may
wish to study at undergraduate and postgraduate degree level. Again,
the available subject range is wide, including philosophy, theology,
English, law, geography, German, business, management and economics.
These degree level courses are usually validated by a British University,
which guarantees the quality of the course and the qualification gained
on successful completion.
The reputation for
quality and the huge range of courses available should make the United
Kingdom an obvious choice for overseas students considering distance
learning programmes.
Author
David Morley
Open & Distance Learning Quality Council
