UCE's International Representatives Congress

The University of Central England (UCE), a leading university in the Midlands, Birmingham, recently organised the second International Representatives Congress at the Perry Barr Campus in Birmingham.

The congress was organised by the International Office at the university, and its aim was to talk about university services, facilities and faculties' courses.

The congress was attended by various representatives and agents from different countries. Malta was represented by Alex Borg, director, SSM Group Ltd, a local training and consultancy firm based in Hamrun with joint offices in the UK and the UAE. Various presentations were given from different departments and faculties and site visits were organised to different faculties.

The University of Central England has evolved in the course of over 150 years, from its origins as a local community college to its current status as a major provider of higher education to students from across the globe.

UCE Birmingham is one of the UK's largest universities, with around 25,000 students and seven teaching sites in and around the city of Birmingham. At the heart of UCE Birmingham lies a commitment to diversity in education and creativity in the learning experience.

The University combines the virtues of a traditional British education in core subjects and skills with a spirit of innovation that embraces the challenges of modern life in a global society.

This is why the student body at UCE Birmingham is so diverse. Students of all nationalities and ages, and from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, attend UCE Birmingham. Each year, an increasing number of those students come from non-EU countries. At present there are students from over 80 countries, including the Far East, Africa, the Indian sub-continent and the EU.

UCE Birmingham houses eight faculties for different areas - School of Acting Conservatoire, Institute of Art and Design, Faculty of Education; Business School; Faculty of Health, Faculty of Law, Humanities, Development and Society; Faculty of Engineering, and Faculty of Technology and Engineering (Technology Innovation Centre).

SSM Group was chosen as a liaison regional office and training centre for UCE Birmingham. The regional office will provide comprehensive counselling and advice on all aspects of study in UCE Birmingham, as well as working closely with potential partners and representatives.

Its services include an information and education centre for students studying specialised courses in Malta; a drop-in centre for information on studying in the UK at UCE Birmingham; advice and guidance on completing student application; pre-departure briefings to help prepare students for their stay in Birmingham and alumni events.

To help mature students advance in their careers, the Technology Innovation Centre (TIC), part of the University of Central England, has recently launched its new, flexible-learning Master's programmes.

SSM Group Ltd can now offer an MSc. in marketing management, quality management, project management, e-commerce, operations management, supply chain management, customer focused logistics and logistics management.

Professional managers, sales and marketing, technologists, engineers with first degrees or great knowledge of the subject can sometimes feel excluded from being able to develop their careers because of job and family commitments.

SSM Group takes a progressive approach to provide a unique study opportunity for practitioners to expand their knowledge of a subject area through a mode of study that can be easily integrated into an existing full-time work commitment.

As a lead-academy for CISCO Systems covering Europe, the Middle East and Africa, TIC is able to use to the latest technologies to enhance the mature student's study experience and strengthen his business skills. Using an established distance learning platform to structure and communicate the e-learning course content interactively, TIC will enable part-time postgraduate students to study at Master's level at their own convenience.

An innovative and flexible approach will help students advance their knowledge through blending accessible on-line, remote support by tutors with periodic face-to-face tuition.

The Master's has been designed to provide a multi-disciplinary approach and understanding of the complexity of the subject. The programmes entail four on-line 15-week learning periods, and three three-day face-to-face tutorials in the UK.

The aim of the programmes is to provide competent, innovative practitioners and managers with an ability to apply the principles of the subject to the solution of operational and strategic problems in global industry and commerce. The programmes provide an academic base that will contribute to the development of knowledge and are an opportunity to apply that knowledge in a practical way.

This practical application to real life business-related problems is possible through the Master's project which will:

• meet the market need for practitioners and managers with the necessary knowledge and skills to operate in companies, so that they may be able to identify and provide solutions to a wide range of problems;

• provide a mechanism to develop into a range of desired alternative disciplines, including supply chain management, automotive supply technology, manufacturing supply and systems design;

• develop skills of analysis, synthesis, decision making and the ability to cope with unfamiliar problem; and

• apply new technologies and techniques to solve present and future problems concerning European and global businesses;

There is a growing market need for practitioners and managers and engineers with the necessary knowledge to identify and provide solutions to a wide range of logistical problems. This course is designed to produce managers who can operate at senior levels in this field. Take time to explore the Website www.ssmgroup.org.

For further information, phone SSM Group on 2123-1015 or 9942-9536, or e-mail ssm@keyworld.net.