OCN NI Proud to sponsor Northern Regional College Staff Conference
18/07/2024
Northern Regional College is proud to announce Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCN NI), a national recognised Awarding Organisation, and Heron Bros, the construction and property development company, as sponsors of this year’s Staff Conference.
Heron Bros is the appointed contractor for the £97 million capital investment project to deliver state-of-the-art campuses on the College’s current sites at Union Street, Coleraine and Farm Lodge, Ballymena. Fully funded by the Department for the Economy, the new Causeway campus in Coleraine will be open to students for 2 September 2024 with Ballymena set to open for the following academic year in September 2025. These new campuses will transform the provision of further and higher education in the area.
OCNNI is the one of over 20 awarding organisations that the College partners with to deliver qualifications across Coleraine, Ballymena, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey campuses. With more than 2000 enrolments with OCNNI per year, OCNNI continues to be a strong partner of choice for the College in delivering new and innovative curriculum solutions.
The annual Staff Conference will take place on Tuesday, 13 August at the College’s new Causeway campus in Coleraine. This event provides an excellent opportunity for staff from all campuses to come together to network and learn from industry leaders within the world-class learning facilities at the new campus.
Dr Laura Monteith, Head of Teaching and Learning Excellence of Northern Regional College, said “Our August Staff Conference is a key event in the College calendar, uniting staff from all campuses to share knowledge, explore new ideas and engage with industry experts. This year’s event is extra special as it will take place at our new campus in Coleraine and allow us to utilise our Innovation Zone in the delivery of staff professional development and collaborative learning.”
The conference will be hosted by Barra Best, BBC presenter and journalist, and will focus on key areas of interest for the FE sector, including the hot topic of Artificial Intelligence. The conference will equip staff with further knowledge and tools to embrace AI, enhancing skills in teaching and learning, as well as everyday working life. The event will host key guest speakers including Martin Illingworth, Senior Lecturer in Education at Sheffield Hallam University, who will focus an Education of Hope, and why young people are succeeding on their terms. Dr Kay Hack, Lead Consultant & Principal Advisor with Advance HE will discuss student co-design and collaboration. Chris Goodall, Head of Digital Education, AI in Education will detail AI in the classroom and practical thoughts on AI integration within education. Megan Oliver, Creative Excellence Manager at Northern Regional College will provide an overview of how AI is being utilised within the College to support Teaching, Learning and Assessment.
Sean Laverty, Chief Operating Officer of Northern Regional College, said he was very grateful for the unwavering support of staff and stakeholders in the delivery of this event.
“I would like to extend our sincere thanks to sponsors, OCN NI and Heron Bros, for their invaluable contribution and support. Partnerships like these are instrumental in fostering relationships, creating collaboration opportunities, and supporting the success of this year’s event. At the College we recognise the importance and value of our partners, who play an integral role in supporting the delivery of our vision. We are committed to continuing to engage with and explore both new and existing partnership opportunities.”
For further information on partnership opportunities email business.engagement@nrc.ac.uk
Photo caption
Sean Laverty, Chief Operating Officer of Northern Regional College, Dr Laura Monteith, Head of Teaching and Learning Excellence of Northern Regional College, Karl McKillop, Construction Director of Heron Bros Ltd and Sean McCormick, Qualification and Innovation Manager of OCN NI.