In times like these, organisations would be tempted to keep the status quo and limit expenses, halt investment and postpone challenges.

And yet it is in times like these that one must be positive and look forward to better times and prepare for brighter days. Investing in oneself means investing in personal development to be ready for when opportunities arise.

Aspiring to a better position at the place of work normally entails acquiring supervisory duties which involve some people management skills. And although work experience counts for a lot, formal knowledge is paramount.

The Centre for Labour Market Studies, University of Leicester, and its local agent the FHRD, offer study programmes which are consistently more relevant to the real world of industry and business. This is mostly thanks to the research that permeates the teaching. The University of Leicester has been named University of the Year in the UK higher education sector's keenly contested Times Higher Education awards.

Several new courses are planned for next year, including a new B.Sc (Honours) in Human Resource Management, an integrated course that allows for entry or exit at Certificate (1st year), Diploma (second year) or Honours (third year) level. All CLMS undergraduate courses will form part of this integrated structure.

The imminent changes are: in the second year, since the Diploma in Human Resources Management and Training and Development, as currently offered, will as from April 2009 be replaced with the Diploma in Higher Education; and in the introduction of a third year undergraduate course which will result in successful students being awarded the B.Sc.

Students who complete the new diploma will no longer be eligible for direct entry onto the Masters courses, as with the current structure.

For more information contact Daniela Gouder on 2137 8895 or at dgouder@fhrd.org. An information meeting for undergraduate courses will be held at the FHRD premises in San Ġwann on Wednesday at 6 p.m. An information meeting for the postgraduate courses will be held on December 10 at the same time.

All CLMS programmes are internationally recognised and recognised by The Academic Credentials Evaluation Board (ACEB) of the Malta Qualification Recognition Information Centre.