Queen's Launches International Online Course

Almost 6,000 people have enrolled for the first in a series of free online courses offered by Queen's University in Belfast.

The first Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) to be offered by Queen's is Critical Listening for Studio Production, which goes live on 13 January.

The seven-week course is designed to help train the ear in order to improve critical listening in a music studio context.

Those registered for the course come from around the world, including Japan, China, Italy and Spain.

The MOOC project was launched in the UK by FutureLearn at the end of 2013, and is designed to open up the possibility of Higher Education study without the requirements of entry qualifications or prior study.

Queen's has also announced details of a second course, Identity, conflict and public space: contest and transformation. The six-week course introduces the learner to issues around the use of public space to express identity. It is due to begin in March 2014.

"The second MOOCs course offered by Queen's is hugely topical at the moment in many societies around the globe," said Dr Dominic Bryan, from Queen's School of History and Anthropology, who developed the course.

"Here in Northern Ireland we only have to look at recent issues surroundings flags, parades and memorials. This free course, which is accessible to anyone with internet access, looks at issues around the use of public space to express identity. Ethno-political conflicts around the world tend to differ in detail but share common structural and political issues. Fundamental to the conflicts is the ability for groups of people to have access to representation in public space. We hope this course will have a positive impact at home and around the world."

Educational Developer at Queen's, Donna Hyland, said: "Our first MOOCs course has proven to be extremely popular, and we're now delighted to announce details of our second course.

"Due to Queen's global reputation in the area of identity and conflict transformation we expect a great deal of interest in the course from people at home and around the globe.

"Queen's prides itself on providing a world class education, and now, via our MOOCs courses, I am proud to say it is available for free across the world."

(IT/JP)