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Education & Training News
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 Third year students of Mechanical Engineering displayed an array of impressive projects at the annual Graduate Exhibition recently.
Automatic feeders for livestock, a clam grading system and a racing car were amongst the projects which the students designed and built in teams for their end of year project.
Mechanical engineers can work in a range of roles including research, design, project management, technical sales, computer-aided engineering, process control, manufacturing engineering, aeronautics, materials engineering and product development. |
 An innovative outreach project by the University of Ulster to promote STEM subjects (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) to secondary schools has helped pupils from Cookstown High School think ‘outside the box’ to come up with a novel solution to recycling.
Around 80 Year 11 and 12 pupils from 10 different schools across Northern Ireland took part in the University’s first ever WiCADET camp (Widening Access through Computing Apps Development Training. During the 10 week ‘app camp’, teams each had to design a new market ready computer app. |
Managers and Directors Beware
A Dublin hotel chain has been ordered to compensate their former Marketing Manager for harassment that caused work related stress. This substantial claim included €220,000 compensation for harassment and discrimination and a further €94,500 for stress caused by victimisation. In addition to the claim the company were further ordered to pay interest on half of the compensation. |
May 16, 2012 |  |
 Twenty one new recruits have begun their careers, as sales professionals, with BT in Northern Ireland this week. Selected by the company to further enhance the service BT provides to the growing number of residential and business customers, the successful applicants were short listed from over 700 applications received from Northern Ireland and beyond during its latest recruitment drive for new talent.
This latest intake is in addition to the announcement of 120 new jobs created by BT Group in Belfast last week, and the recruitment of 44 new engineers to install BT Infinity fibre broadband over the past 12 months. |
 Turning waste products into a viable business sounds like a task set by Lord Sugar, but this is actually the challenge undertaken by a group of students from South Eastern Regional College who have recently set up their own recycling company.
Bellisle Recycling has been set up by five carpentry apprentices who secured funding from the British Council for youth in action, which is funded by the European Lottery Fund. To be awarded funding the students took part in the Big Ideas Challenge were they completing a business plan and presented it to a panel of judges. |
Education will benefit from further funding allocations of £72million over the next three years following a review of the education budget.
Early Years, Extended Schools, the Youth Service and maintenance of the school estate are among areas allocated funding following an internal review that has led to further reductions in bureaucracy and savings from other educational services.
Low income families will also benefit with additional funding being allocated for free school meals and uniform grants. |
Productions created by the brightest young media professionals of the next generation have gone on display as part of the University of Ulster’s End of Year Media Show. Organised by the School of Media, Film and Journalism, the annual show features work from Interactive Media Arts, Photo Imaging and Media Studies and Production students.
The exhibition, which is the School’s largest to date, features over 70 projects in script writing, video, radio, and photography. |
May 10, 2012 |  |
 Newtownabbey-based Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a proven leader in the provision of education-based ICT services and solutions, has been awarded a two year contract extension worth over £300,000 by Hugh Christie Technology College in Kent.
The award will enable Northgate to further its work for the college over the last three years by continuing to deliver efficient managed services while also providing more innovative ways to make ICT provision sustainable.
The news follows on from Northgate’s recent success in Northern Ireland where it was awarded a £170million contract by C2K to design, implement, manage and support Europe’s first Education Cloud environment for schools across the province. |
A new online learning resource from the University of Ulster, which enables Architectural Technology students to engage in site visits without ever leaving the classroom, has been recognised in a major competition.
Construct Online, which was developed by David Comiskey and Dr Kenny McCartan, has landed an Innovation in E-Learning Award for Teaching and Learning from the JISC Regional Support Centre for Northern Ireland.
The website is made up of six videos along with a number of quizzes that test students’ knowledge and assess their progress. |
 The commercial and economic benefits for businesses involved in Environmental Health undergraduate work placement schemes will be highlighted at a breakfast briefing at 7.30am on Wednesday 16th May hosted by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and the University of Ulster.
The Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Stephen Farry will address organisations from the public, private and non-profit sectors at the event in Riddel Hall, Stranmillis. |
A University of Ulster conference is to focus on how higher education institutions can better prepare students for long-term employment in a rapidly changing global market.
Careers expert Dr Paul Redmond is to address these issues tomorrow at the conference taking place on the Jordanstown campus.
Dr Redmond, one of the UK’s leading experts on generation theory and the changing world of the graduate job market, will speak at Ulster’s ‘Employability: How Higher Education Can Rise To The Challenge’. |
 Greame Brown, a past pupil of Grosvenor Grammar School, is set to represent Northern Ireland at one of the largest international science exhibitions in Houston, Texas, after developing an innovative water disinfection device.
Graeme developed the ‘BrightWater Project’ which has the potential to contribute towards the eradication of water pollution which accounts for the deaths of more than 25,000 people daily in developing countries. He earned his ticket to the International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering, and Environmental Project (I-SWEEEP) after winning the ‘I-SWEEEP Award’ sponsored by the University of Ulster at the 2011 Sentinus Young Innovators Exhibition (YIE) – an event that is held annually at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast
I-SWEEEP is an international science fair held in Houston, Texas where over 1000 young scientists from 70 countries display their science projects based on the pressing issues of energy, engineering, and environment. |
 CEO of insurance firm Aon takes over Presidency of The Insurance Institute of Ireland
-Promotion of professional standards and careers in insurance to take centre stage-
The Insurance Institute of Ireland (III) has announced the election of Richard Endersen as The Institute’s new incoming President for the year 2012-2013. The official inauguration took place at the Institute’s AGM event, held in Dublin. A senior industry figure within the insurance sector, Richard Endersen is the CEO of Aon Insurance Ireland. |
The top-rated Institute of Nursing Research at the University of Ulster is showcasing key areas of its work and has harnessed international expertise for a pioneering week-long event at the Jordanstown campus.
The Institute is holding its inaugural annual Research Week, (Monday, April 30 to Friday, May 4) at which academics, students, staff in health and social services and in the private and voluntary sectors will learn at first- hand about the research activity under way at the Institute.
Nine Visiting Professors, each of whom is a well-known researcher or practitioner in their own right, will take part in master classes, seminars and lectures. |
 Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster today announced a multi-million pound funding package for the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme in Northern Ireland.
The UK-wide initiative supports businesses that want to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by helping them to access the knowledge and expertise available within local universities and further educational colleges.
Invest Northern Ireland will contribute £7. |
Dr Stephen Farry, Minister for Employment and Learning, today launched the inaugural e-learning innovation awards at Queen’s University.
The aim of the awards, organised by the Regional Support Centre Northern Ireland (RSCni) are to promote e-learning by rewarding individuals and teams throughout Northern Ireland who are spearheading the development and effective use of technology to enhance teaching and learning.
The Minister said: “These awards acknowledge those who are leading the way in developing, and effectively using, technology to enhance teaching and learning in our further and higher education and training sectors. |
Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry today addressed members of the Assembly to launch 'Graduating to Success - A Higher Education Strategy for Northern Ireland'
Highlighting the growing importance of higher education in ensuring the future economic prosperity of Northern Ireland the Minister said:“Higher education plays a pivotal role in creating a sustainable, knowledge based economy and shared society in Northern Ireland. I am therefore committed to ensuring that there is a clear strategic direction for the future of higher education in Northern Ireland.
“This direction is captured and developed in my Department’s Higher Education Strategy which I am publishing today. |
April 23, 2012 |  |
 Aurion Learning has been working closely with Scottish Water to design and develop a new e-learning programme on Information Security.
The e-learning programme has been developed for all staff at Scottish Water and is designed to help them get to grips with Scottish Water’s Information Security Policy Practices.
The online learning programme covers what information security means to Scottish Water, threats to information security, what resources are available to help Scottish Water staff in relation to information security, and where to find them. |
April 23, 2012 |  |
 Texthelp Systems Ltd, the Antrim-based educational software business, has secured its first export sales in Brazil from following up contacts made on a recent Invest Northern Ireland trade mission to this emerging global market.
The company has signed a contract with a major educational publisher in Sao Paulo which will result in its unique ‘Read&Write’ and ‘Fluency Tutor’ software being used to teach English in a network of schools throughout the country.
The breakthrough deal in Brazil was announced by Martin McKay, Texthelp’s Chief Technical Officer, and welcomed by Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director, who said: “This is an extremely significant development for one of our leading software businesses and will position them for accelerated growth in one of the world’s fastest developing markets. |
 David Acheson, a final year Computer Science student at Queen’s University, has won the Megaw Memorial Lecture with a presentation on his final year project which involved developing ‘News Flash,’ an app for a Windows 7 phone. The app delivers news that is tailored specifically to the user’s interests. So if someone only wants to receive the latest news on rugby, cookery and US politics, for example, that’s all they’ll receive. |
Another symbol of progress and an important asset to our cultural infrastructure is ready to open its doors to the public.
When the state of the art MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) officially opens this evening (19 April 2012), local people will be treated to a world class programme ranging from blockbuster events and exhibitions to challenging, experimental new works as well as the very best in home-grown arts and culture.
The Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Carál Ní Chuilín, the Minister for Social Development, Nelson McCausland and the Chairman of the Arts Council, Bob Collins will attend the official opening. |
The Minister for Employment and Learning Dr Stephen Farry has addressed an event at Queens University , Belfast, aimed at preparing young people for local and global opportunities.
The event is an annual meeting between Queens and head teachers from across Northern Ireland. The higher and further education sectors have been working closely with schools, government and employers to understand and integrate their respective practices so that the skills young people acquire meet the needs of business, and support the development of the Northern Ireland economy. |
 A University of Ulster academic is spearheading the latest phase of a multi-million pound joint UK and Indian research project to boost India's Internet capabilities.
Professor Gerard Parr, who is Chair in Telecommunications Engineering on the University's Coleraine campus, is the UK's principal investigator for a £10 million India-UK ICT research consortium of nine research-leading UK universities.
The £10 million project – the largest between the two countries and which will employ 200 scientists - will help improve the quality of millions of lives in India and the UK. |
 Junior Achievement Ireland (JA) has partnered with global test development and delivery firm Prometric to promote the value of staying in school and using an education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as a foundation for a rewarding professional career. Prometric, in addition to a €5,000 contribution to JA, has organised a team of employee volunteers to visit Dundalk-area schools and mentor secondary school students.
“Prometric is a company that fits well into our network of world-class organisations eager to help the students of today become the highly skilled professionals of tomorrow,” said Della Clancy, Executive Director of Junior Achievement. |
April 13, 2012 |  |
 Citi Announces the Winners of the Inaugural upStart Awards. Woogie Tap from Queen’s University Belfast and Happy Swap from Trinity College Dublin win this Prestigious Prize
Belfast and Dublin – Citi announces the winning teams of the inaugural upStart programme at an awards ceremony held at the Citi offices in Belfast. The winning teams are Woogie Tap from Queen’s University Belfast and Happy Swap from Trinity College Dublin. |
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