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