Creative thinking behind border regions' future

A new skills initiative, which aims to increase employment opportunities and work towards peace and reconciliation, has been launched today.

'Digital Diversity', which is being funded under the EU Peace II programme involving education institutions in the Border Regions and Northern Ireland, was unveiled in Armagh to provide training opportunities for up to 190 participants north and south of the border.

The initiative is aimed at reshaping the social, cultural and economic life of the cross-border region by providing flexible learning programmes in creative digital media.

Dr Tom Collins, Director of the project, said: "The development and implementation of the Digital Diversity Project alongside other creative media projects and initiatives will provide opportunities for communication to be forged between the students of the course and creative media enterprises located in the region, and thus expose graduates to a greater range of employment opportunities."

The Digital Diversity Project provides three independent but sequential learning programmes at Access, Certificate and Masters levels:

• An Access course funded by the centre for cross border studies is offered to approximately 10 participants at a time in a number of community venues in Dundalk and Newry.
• The Certificate Programme in Creative Digital Media is currently being offered on both a full and part-time basis, and is delivered in DKIT and UBI.
• A MSc in Future Communications in Creative Technology, will be delivered by both DKIT and University of Ulster on a full time over three calendar semesters, commencing in February 2005. There will be thirty places for students, 15 in DKIT and 15 in UU.

The project is part financed by the European Social Fund (75%), and the UK and Irish Governments through ADM/CPA under the PEACE II programme 2000 - 2004.

(MB/SP)