Farry wants big conversation on future of higher education
THE Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry, has launched a ‘Big Conversation’ about the sustainability of higher education in Northern Ireland. Speaking in the Assembly, Mr Farry said: “Higher education makes a vital impact on our economy and society here. “It drives our knowledge economy by equipping our people with the higher level skills which companies, both local and newly investing, need...
Crowning glory for salon back from blaze
AN eco-friendly hair salon in Londonderry has won a design award, six months after its building was destroyed in a fire. RoCo, which relocated to the Quay on Strand Road after a blaze from a neighbouring building damaged its original premises, was named Salon Design of the Year 2015 at the Northern Ireland Hair and Beauty Awards in the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Sunday. Salon owners...
Meccano bridge makes students world beaters
ENGINEERING students from Queen’s University have set a new world record after building a 100ft footbridge in Belfast — made entirely from Meccano. Designed and built by a group of third year Civil Engineering students and local school children, the temporary Meccano bridge, which spans more than 100ft across Belfast’s Clarendon Dock, was unveiled on Saturday. The ambitious year-long project was the brainchild of academics and students from the...
Writers in pioneering Afghan project
BELFAST’S creative writers are helping to give Afghan women a voice by teaching poetry to aspiring women writers. They include former Poet Laureate Sinead Morrissey, who recently took part in a three-day workshop at to teach poetry to 20 aspiring Afghan women writers in Kabul via Skype. The pioneering project, entitled Afghan Women Spread the Word, is the brainchild of Julia Paul, a broadcast lecturer at Queen’s University...
OU Consultation
THE Department for Employment and Learning has published a public consultation document in relation to a proposed change in methodology for the Open University (OU) allocation. Historically, students studying at the OU have been counted as being at an English institution, as that is where its administrative centre is. However it is now planned to...
Chambers Unite
‘LET’S do business’ — that’s the message to local government in a new action plan released by the chambers of commerce network across Northern Ireland. The plan makes more than 20 recommendations that aim to reduce the cost of doing business and potentially lead to the creation of thousands jobs across the province in the construction, retail, tourism, manufacturing and service sectors. It is the first time that chambers...
Early Learning
EDUCATION Minister John O’Dowd is urging parents to get involved with their child’s education, as he launches the next phase of the Education Works advertising campaign. The campaign highlights the vital role parents and carers can play in helping their child do well at school and improve their life chances. It signposts parents to the nidirect website for ideas for games and activities to do with their child. ...
Business summit focuses on leadership
BUSINESS leaders from across Northern Ireland are joining forces with the Institute of Directors (NI) and Queen’s University to develop a strategy to change local leadership culture. Taking place today, the Strategic Leadership Summit, led by the IOD NI and the William J Clinton Leadership Institute at Queen’s, is the first of its kind to take place in Northern Ireland and is designed to help uncover new...
Trust in drive to recruit more nurses
THE Southern Health and Social Care Trust is hosting a recruitment day to enhance its nursing workforce. Taking place on Friday, October 2, in Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown, there will be interviews on the day, offers made, and pre-employment checks completed. The trust is hoping to attract applications from registered nurses along with year two and year three students. The trust’s Executive...
Tech firm’s new recruit celebrates ‘golden ticket’
BELFAST tech firm TotalMobile has taken on its latest recruit in the second year of its No Fees Degree scheme. The initiative employs trainee software developers while they complete a part-time degree, in a package worth up to £100,000 over five years. Chris Gormley from Belfast will take up a position at the Pilot Point-based company as a software developer intern this month at the same...