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Fully-funded microcredentials

The Open University in Northern Ireland, in partnership with the Department for the Economy, is offering those whose employment has been affected by COVID-19 the opportunity to upskill and prepare for the world of work.  Fully funded places are being offered across nine of our new microcredentials.

Microcredentials are sector-endorsed courses designed to help you build professional skills and pursue further specialised study. 

They take just 10–12 weeks of online study and, at the end, you’ll gain academic credit. That’s credit you could later use towards another qualification, such as a degree. 

If you want to find out more about microcredentials then we have an explainer article that you can find here: What is a microcredential?

Eligibility

The fully funded short courses will be offered to individuals based on the criteria outlined below:

  • Have been furloughed;
  • Been made redundant;
  • Have a reduced hours contract;
  • Self-employed with a reduction in earnings;
  • At high risk from coronavirus (shielding for instance)
  • A recent graduate unable to gain employment in a preferred area.
  • Experience of working in education including colleges, universities, schools, workplace learning and/or wider adult learning settings. You will have recently been involved in online teaching, learning and assessment, and/or learner support, as a result of the pandemic.  

Applicants must also be both:

  • A resident in Northern Ireland
  • Over 18 years of age 

How to apply

Deadline: 9 March 2021 at 1pm

  1. Complete the following expression of interest form. Applications close on the 9 March 2021 at 1pm so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. - Please note you need to apply through the expression of interest form on this webpage and not through the registration link on the microcredential webpage.
  2. Upon completion of the form you should be presented with a message of sucessful submission.
  3. Whether you have been successful or not in receiving a place on a course, you will be notified by 12 March 2021.

If you have a query in relation to the application process please email Ireland-business@open.ac.uk

Please note the study level for each course mentioned below. Individual course entry requirements can also be found by following the relevant course page links.

Three people talking by a white board

Business Management; Marketing Principles and Practice 

Undergraduate Level

Learn how to apply key marketing techniques to enhance your performance and make better business decisions.

A padlock on a blue background in the style of a PC screen

Cyber Security Operations (Cisco)

Postgraduate Level

Upskill in cyber security operations and enhance your working knowledge of cyber security with this Cisco-endorsed course.

A series of pencil and calendar icons along a line graph

Global Development in Practice: Designing an intervention

Postgraduate Level

Use development management tools and frameworks to plan, implement and evaluate development interventions.

A woman sat in her office at a laptop on a desk with big windows behind her

Online Teaching: Creating Courses for Adult Learners

Postgraduate Level

Learn the practical skills you need to build and deliver online courses successfully, and develop your ability to teach adults online. 

A woman using an accessible keyboard while wearing a set of headphones

Online Teaching: Accessibility and Inclusive Learning

Postgraduate Level

Enhance your online teaching by understanding and improving accessibility for students with disabilities or additional needs.

A man and woman working out a problem while sat at a laptop

Online Teaching: Evaluating and Improving Courses

Postgraduate Level

Develop the skills you need to evaluate the success of your online teaching and enhance your students' remote learning experience.

A group of people looking at a white board while a woman writes on a sticky note

Management of Uncertainty: Leadership, Decision and Action 

Postgraduate Level

Develop greater leadership skills and learn to make effective decisions in conditions of radical uncertainty.

A group of people looking away from the camera with their arms around each other

Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum

Postgraduate Level

Develop inclusive learning that enhance student mental health and wellbeing using the application of Universal Design for Learning.

Business Management: Fundamentals of Management Accounting

Undergraduate Level

Develop your accounting skills and knowledge to help you to make better business decisions and achieve your professional goals.

Key Information

  • Please note that ONE person can apply to undertake up to TWO  of these courses. There is no limit on the number of people who can apply from any one organisation (where this is applicable).
  • We are expecting a large volume of applications and we will endeavour to offer you one course, subject to meeting entry requirements and demand.
  • Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, based on first preference choice of microcredential. For some of these microcredentials, we may need a minimum number of successful learners to be able to run a course. This is why we have asked you to select up to three microcredentials, in order of preference, that you would like to study in the expression of interest (available from this page).
  • If you have already been successful in applying for one of our fully funded places, we can’t guarantee you will receive another funded place, even if you do meet the criteria.  Again, this will depend on demand.
  • Please note key dates and duration for each course. All of these microcredential courses start on the 15 March 2021 (The Business Management: Marketing Principles and Practice and the Business Management: Fundamentals of Management Accounting microcredentials start on 29 March).
  • A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is essential to undertake these courses.