Practitioners tasked with dealing with requests for disclosure of information face a multitude of legal provisions.

The Data Protection Acts, together with the duty of confidence and the right to privacy protected by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, combine to form an increasingly complex and seemingly contradictory framework.

The Information Rights programme developed by Northumbria University is the first postgraduate qualification designed to unravel the complexities of these 'information rights'.

This programme aims to respond to the specific needs of information rights' practitioners, providing a structured framework within which they can acquire and update knowledge while gaining a qualification that recognises their specialist expertise. It also recognises the importance of effective records management and information handling.

This programme is therefore likely to be attractive both to practitioners specifically charged with processing information and other professionals working in environments where information is held, including central and local government, health and education.

Those who wish to obtain a postgraduate qualification but do not have the necessary qualifications for the LL.M may initially enrol for the certificate. Students who successfully complete the certificate will have the opportunity to take the diploma.

All students can exit the course with a postgraduate certificate after nine months, upon successful completion of three compulsory modules.

Students who wish to exit with the postgraduate diploma must complete the five core modules plus one optional module over 18 months.

Those successfully completing the diploma can continue towards an LL.M. Students wishing to gain the LL.M complete a project in a related topic of their choice.

Students are allocated an individual project supervisor, who is able to provide guidance in relation to the research methodology, structure, presentation and other aspects of research and project writing.

Future Focus Ltd is the local representative of Northumbria University. Students applying for this course are eligible to apply for the STEPS scheme launched by the Department of Education.

For more details and enquiries visit Future Focus at 8, Magazines Street, Floriana, call 2122 5884 or 2122 1371, or e-mail info@futurefocus.com.mt.