CONNECTED Magazine Second Edition 2018

education

Connected!

ISSUE 2 • 2018

by NCC Education and Informatics Academy

Degrees 20

24

Dominic Sacco,

Helen Clifton

INTERVIEW WITH

COVER STORY: INTERVIEW WITH BBC Journalist

Content Director for the British Esports Association

IN THIS

ISSUE

➊ Esports: A global sporting phenomenon? ➋ After the catastrophes (a look at what happens when disaster strikes!) ➌ Adventures of a Betsi Midwife in Lesotho ➍ Turning gaming passion into a career ➎ Interview with Dominic Sacco ➏ Facebook profiles: Getting started and much more…

Contents 14

PRESS RELEASE

NEWSFLASH

06 AFTER THE CATASTROPHES - THE

SIGNING THE MOU OF STRATEGIC OPERATION WITH THE XI'AN BEILIN DISTRICT GOVERNMENT

IMPACT OF NATURAL DISASTERS

INFORMATICS ACADEMY LAUNCHES FIRST ESPORTS & GAME DESIGN IN SINGAPORE

16

FROM THE GRAPEVINE

13 STUDENT INSIGHTS

NCC EDUCATION GZIT CENTRE

NCC EDUCATION WELCOMES KING STAGE TO IT ACCREDITED PARTNER CENTRE NETWORK

FROM THE EDITOR

03 A WORD FROM OUR EDITOR 04 MEET OUR LATEST ADDITION TO CONNECTED

OUT AND ABOUT

05 A PEEK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING AT NCC EDUCATION AND INFORMATICS ACADEMY

04 2018 GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR

07 UPDATES OF THE NEW NCC EDUCATION LOGO

INTERVIEW

18 TURNING GAMING PASSION INTO A CAREER

24

COVER FEATURE

FAKE DEGREES: THE CONSEQUENCES OF COUNTERFEIT CERTIFICATES

08 WELCOME TO 20 TEN MINUTES COURSE NETWORKING WITH DOMINIC SACCO 34 ABOUT WAKELET 09 CONGRATULATIONS 22 A COFFEE AND 37 WHAT IS OFQUAL? TO THE CLASS OF A CHAT WITH DAVID 2016-2017 WHO BABALOLA FROM THE GRADUATED FROM NVL DALEWARES INSTITUTE INSTITUTE IN MYANMAR OF TECHNOLOGY 38 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS 10 EMERSON FEATURE EDUCATION FIRST 40 A QUEST FOR A STUDENT INTAKE DREAM CAREER 27 QUALITY? IT'S ALL ABOUT THE 3 PS INFORMATICS EDUCATION 42 STUDY HONGKONG (LTD) HEALTHCARE WITH 28 ESPORTS TIMELINE NCC EDUCATION'S INTERNATIONAL 11 DIRECT ENGLISH FOUNDATION DIPLOMA (IRELAND) 30 ESPORTS: A GLOBAL SPORTING NEW PARTNER IN PHENOMENON? 43 BETSI QUTHING PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP: 32 LIFECYCLE OF AN ADVENTURE OF A BETSI 12 INFOGRAPHIC EXAM PAPER MIDWIFE IN LESOTHO

FROM THE

EDITOR Welcome to the second edition of CONNECTED, our in-house magazine produced for our students, centres and our global connections.

kerry.voellner@nccedu.com

Whilst producing this magazine, one overall theme started to emerge when sourcing interesting people to interview; the fact that esports is EXPLODING!

Both NCC Education and Informatics Academy ultimately share the same mission – to deliver excellence in education to students across the world.

What was once seen as a game between amateurs, has seen a massive surge in popularity and we are entering a phase of a new subculture, which has become a global and lucrative profession.

In this issue

Our cover story is an indepth interview with BBC Investigative Journalist Helen Clifton, who discusses her research into the global fake-degree scandal. Helen and her team uncovered a multi-million dollar 'diploma mill' operation which was set up to distribute tens of thousands of counterfeit certificates to 'students' around the world.

connected!

"Unfortunately, we live in a very commercialised world where anything can be bought. But then a lot of qualifications became devalued as a consequence."

You can read the full story on page 24.

We are delighted to produce this magazine with our sister company, Informatics Academy Pte Ltd.

If you would like to be included in the next issue of CONNECTED, please feel free to contact me directly

Ultimately, Helen states, "The problem is that people have forgotten that education is not about the money, but the acquisition of knowledge.

We live in exciting times and contributions from our team include two interviews from esports professionals: Jeanette Xu interviews Student Ambassador for Informatics Amos Ker, who is on his pro-esports journey after competing in the world championships. Kathryn Woodhead also interviews Dominic Sacco, Content Director for the British Esports Association to find out more about the industry and its development, its rising popularity, emerging careers and much more…

3

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Martin Buck tell us in more detail about the lifecycle of an exam paper, Olivia Bussey tells us more about Ofqual, Lydia Wang looks at the impact of natural disasters and we have lots of updates from our centres sharing their news and student successes.

Director of Qualifications and Academic Delivery Esther Chesterman looks at the 3 Ps (process, products and people) and how these three priorities are essential in maximising opportunities and reaching business goals.

Esther joined us just a few months ago and has been working tirelessly to introduce a series of improvement strategies to enhance our offer to our Accredited Partner Centres, students and networks across both NCC Education and Informatics Academy. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Esther!

Wishing you prosperous months ahead!

Kerry Voellner | Editor

FROM THE EDITOR

meet the team...

KERRY

VOELLNER Kerry is our Marketing Manager and oversees the globally dispersed marketing function at our Head Office in Manchester, UK. She has a passion for anything digital and loves creating content for the web and magazines. She has a background in journalism, so can often be found looking for stories and likes to interview interesting people.

In her spare time, Kerry likes travelling, reading, watching films and box-sets and taking part in charity events.

CHARLOTTE HEYN

Charlotte manages the marketing and business development activities across Africa and the Middle East and can often be found with a camera in hand, taking pictures and creating lots of original content for our social media channels.

Charlotte is currently studying at Master’s level in Marketing and Communications.

In her spare time, Charlotte enjoys hiking, travelling locally and abroad.

YVONNE KOK

Yvonne is our Senior Graphic Designer, based in Singapore.

She has over 23 years' working experience and is passionate about imagery. Yvonne executes all the NCC Education visuals used in our marketing collateral.

In her spare time, she likes to explore nature parks, hiking, fun runs and is an active volunteer in an animal sanctuary in Malaysia, looking after abandoned cats and dogs.

ME WELCO TEAM!

TO THE

KATHRYN WOODHEAD

LYDIA WANG

Kathryn is the Content Writer of NCC Education. She works closely with both the Marketing and Product Development Team.

She is constantly doing research on current trends in education and she manages the NCC Education blog, sharing industry news with our online communities.

Lydia is our marketing coordinator for the Chinese region. She works closely with the rest of the marketing team to ensure that we provide support for all our Accredited Partner Centres in China. She also creates content for our magazine and social media platforms and speaks fluent Chinese.

In her spare time, she likes to write, get involved in local politics and is a keen activist for disability rights, being a long-term volunteer for Disability Rights UK.

In her spare time, Lydia likes to eat out, travel with her fiance and read books, in Chinese and English!

FROM THE GRAPEVINE

2018 GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR NCC EDUCATION GZIT CENTRE

On June 8th, the graduation ceremony for 2018 Level 5 students of the NCC Education GZIT Centre was held in the grand meeting room, and all the Level 5 students and some of their friends attended. Yvonne Wang, the Director of GZIT Centre made a speech.

A total of eight students were awarded a degree or completion certificate. Yvonne then congratulated the graduates, saying, "We hope you will act with confidence and enthusiasm, making an effort to realize your dreams. I am convinced that the true power you gained at the NCC Education GZIT Centre will make your futures fruitful and energetic."

Looking back on the three years of the students’ college life, all the teachers raised their expectations for the graduates. Level 4 and IFY students staged a performance to congratulate their seniors in the melody of Auld Lang Syne, to call the ceremony to an end.

Yvonne Wang adds, “We sincerely hope that our graduates will pursue their career or further study with confidence and pride and that they will have happy lives ahead.”

connected!

4

ISSUE 2 • 2018

OUT & ABOUT a peek at what is happening at

NCC Education

Bev O'Donovan meets the British Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire

Kate Scozinska and Andrew Rennie with senior staff from TMUC Pakistan

Roger and Marcelle meeting the team from Dalewares, Nigeria

Kerry Voellner and Martin Buck attending this year's COBIS Conference in London

Esther Chesterman meets VIPs from Aptech

Marcelle and Roger off to Nigeria

Esther Chesterman chilling in the music and relaxation room at MET College, India

Fun at the Asia Games Fest

Graduate Cheitanyarcchirtah Jagathesan with David Lightfoot from Oxford Brookes University

and... at Informatics Academy

Welcoming teachers and staff of Marie Wittaya School, Thailand

The Recruitment and Marketing Team at Salesforce, Singapore learning about Artificial Intelligence (AI) marketing

Team bonding/bowling session for the staff and students at Informatics Academy

connected!

5

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Welcoming Delegates from Nigeria

NEWSFLASH contributed by: Lydia Wang

The slightest shudder makes you panic, rattling sounds make you jump and even heavy rain gives sends a chill through your body...

This is not the stuff of nightmares. This is real life for the 290 thousand residents living in the mountains of Taiwan.

Certain noises could be a sign of an oncoming mudslide.

Hard rain could be mud-flow. Both could take just seconds to bury a whole village.

The natural setting of Taiwan is one which is prone to the severe impact of extreme phenomena such as typhoons and earthquakes. The island is situated in the route of tropical cyclones occurring every autumn and above the Ring of Fire at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

Therefore, it experiences several typhoons annually and earthquakes of various extents numerous times daily. In addition, over 75% of the small island is covered by steep mountains and hills. Most of which exceed 1,500 meters above sea level.

Soil doesn’t sit well on such sharp slopes.

All of the above are contributing factors to casualties in natural disasters; any slight tremor could shake debris off the hilltop, and any storm could easily trigger mudslide that kills everything it reaches.

One hour and 47 minutes into the 21st of September in 1999, Taiwan was hit by an unprecedented earthquake that destroyed over 50 thousand buildings and took over 2,400 lives across the island.

In 2009, Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan with a power that hadn’t been witnessed for half a century. Pounding the island with violent wind and torrential rain, Morakot caused floods in cities, towns and villages. When it left the territory of Taiwan, it had already killed nearly 700 people.

These two disasters caused casualties that had not been seen before; they also shook Taiwan hard enough for the people to wake up to the notion of disaster mitigation.

Being on the frontline of the impact, residents of the mountains needed to understand the vulnerability of their homeland and what to do about it. With this in mind; a group of scientists took on the role of educators and went into the mountains to offer training to communities in such need.

In the next issue of CONNECTED, we will be speaking to the lead scientist of this group to get an insight of their work in Taiwan.

connected!

6

ISSUE 2 • 2018

NEWSFLASH DEAR

the goals of the NCC Education community.

BIG NEWS!

The change to the logo is subtle and has been designed by improving on the existing logo and is not an entirely new concept or design. This is so the change is subtle, rather than obvious.

ACCREDITED PARTNER CENTRE After ten years, we are updating our brand identity.

This includes the NCC Education logo, colour palette and fonts.

The launch of our new look is to ensure we remain relevant and modern to our audiences as we continue to differentiate and be distinctive in the global higher-education marketplace.

We believe the new and improved look is more in-line with our branding and organisation as a whole; as providers of education in business and technology.

The move, which will also assist with the strategic aims of NCC Education will continue to further support our centres in their marketing activity and resonate with our institutions, shareholders and students.

Allan Norton

General Manager

WE HAVE AN UPDATE! connected!

7

The most prominent part of the new brand identity is the modernised logo which presents a greater articulation of NCC Education’s vision and uses a more contemporary approach to reflect

TAKE NOTE

IMPORTANT FOR ACCREDITED PARTNER CENTRES

➊

This is a subtle change to the logo and therefore all existing marketing materials can continue to be used

➋

There is no need for centres to invest in any new signs or materials to reflect the new logo

➌

Only new materials produced from February 2018 will contain the updated logo

NCC Education will be updating many of its printed and digital materials and a new website is planned for 2018.

Accredited Partner Centres will be able to use the new logo immediately and will be sent a new marketing pack over the coming weeks to assist with the change.

For any enquiries relating to this or for assistance with dual-branded material, please email: marketing@nccedu.com

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FROM THE GRAPEVINE contributed by Kathryn Woodhead edited by Kerry Voellner

WELCOME TO

Course Networking NCC Education are proud to announce the development of the CN (Course Networking); a new virtual-learning environment for students who are enrolled on to our University of Worcester and University of Central Lancashire top-up degree courses.

The CN is set to replace the Campus top-up platform from Spring 2018 semester onwards.

As well as the addition of bright and colourful graphics designed to make the platform easier to navigate, there are also plenty of new interactive elements for students to enjoy.

Students can take part in online quizzes, submit posts and join in online discussion forums.

One exciting feature is the programme used for live chats; the Big Blue Button. Aside from the usual text chat, webcams and microphones can now be enabled, providing faster connectivity between tutors and students.

The CN has a great look and feel, is easily navigable and allows students to experience a highly interactive learning environment.

Module leaders additionally have the option to share their screen or upload presentations and documents for students to view in real-time.

NCC Education’s Head of Product Darrell McGivern said, “This new teaching and learning platform brings about a real improvement to the student experience.

“This is a really exciting development for students and will further enhance their learning opportunities.”

NCC Education believe these new interactive elements will help students to feel more engaged with their course and look forward to welcoming the Autumn 2018 students on the new platform.

connected!

8

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FROM THE GRAPEVINE

Congratulations to the class 2016 -2017 who graduated from NVL Institute in Myanmar

you've made it!

NVL Institute, Myanmar officially celebrated their 1st Graduation ceremony on the 30th March 2018.

NVL institute was originally established as NVL Training Center in 2010 and teaches a variety of courses related to computing, business and accounting.

From the beginning of 2016, the “NVL institute” branch developed with the successfully accredited partnership with NCC Education.

Through this partnership with NCC Education, NVL offers the NCC Education Diploma in Computing from Level 4 up to the online BSc Business Computing and Information Systems degree awarded by UCLan (University of Central Lancashire), and the NCC Education Diploma in Business Level 4 and 5 which leads to BA (Hons) Business Administration degree validated and awarded by the University of Worcester.

The graduation ceremony was held at Hotel Mandalay Ballroom. The ceremony lasted from 9am until 12pm.

connected!

9

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Convocation ceremony of the NVL Institute was hosted by the NVL Institute Chairman Dr. Tun Aung; CEO, Tin Lwin, and the Principal MD.

Members who attended the ceremony included the Director NVL Institute and Collaboration Partner of the NCC Education (UK), Mr. Mohamed Amiruddin bin Abdul Aziz, Business Development Manager, Abdul Aziz, The British Council, U Aye Kyu (Office Manager) NVL Institute.

Daw Lay Lay Myint, the principal and MD of NVL Institute gave an introduction speech at the graduation, followed by the invited guests, Mr Aye Kyu (British Council Mandalay Office Manager) and Mohamed Amiruddin bin Abdul Aziz (NCC Education Business Development Manager) each gave a five minute speech to the graduates.

The ceremony continued on stage with the offering of NCC Education certificates to the graduates from L4 and L5 both in Computing and Business, and BCIS UCLan Topup Degree. The ceremony ended by group photos on stage and lunch provided by the hotel.

FROM THE GRAPEVINE

EMERSON EDUCATION

Emerson Education Limited from Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania came on board with NCC Education in 2017. The Contract was signed in September 2017 and in January 2018, they did their first intake of Level 3 students, with a view to offering the full degree pathway in Information technology.

Business Development Manager Marcelle Du Rand says, “Myself and Faizan Majidhusain have a relationship extending back to about 2010, when Faizan was then involved with Power Computers.

FIRST STUDENT INTAKE

This is a relationship of mutual respect and I believe Emerson will be an excellent partner to NCC Education under the guidance of Faizan, who is a very strong business leader.

FIRST BATCH JANUARY 2018 NCC Educations Level 3 International Foundation Diploma for Higher Education Studies (L3IFDHES)

Informatics Education (HK) Ltd

in providing Project Management Professional (PMP)® training.

Being the Global Registered Education Provider (GREP) of the Project Management Institute (PMI)®, Informatics Hong Kong has since trained more than 5500 PMP® students which constitute the majority of the Project Management Professionals in the Hong Kong market and consistently maintained a commendable track record with over 90% examination pass rate.

To strengthen its leadership position in the Hong Kong market, Informatics has launched a series of Project Management programmes, including Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner® (PMI-ACP).

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Informatics Education Ltd, Informatics Education (HK) Ltd is one of the leading education and training centres in Hong Kong, having built a strong track record for quality programmes and training services for adult individuals, multinational corporations and government departments since 1992.

Its teaching campus in Kowloon has million dollar views of the world famous Hong Kong harbour. The team is headed up by Phyllis Wong, General Manager (HK).

What’s most exciting - is further developing the close relationship with Informatics and NCC Education globally, is the introduction of esports programmes and also Digi computer sciences programmes to a computing-hungry Hong Kong market.

Informatics Hong Kong focuses on professional training for executives at all stages of their career and is a leader

connected!

In the coming year, it planned to introduce further design executive programmes in SME and Corporation Business Strategies Development, Big Data Analytics, Talent Management and Cyber Security, these training programmes combine the best conceptual theories and industry expertise to meet various corporation’s business needs.

10

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FROM THE GRAPEVINE

New Partnership in Pakistan

DIRECT ENGLISH

(Ireland)

We are delighted to announce that The Millennium University College (TMUC), Pakistan, Karachi Campus has been accredited to offer the NCC Education Level 3 International Foundation Diploma for Higher Education Studies (L3IFDHES), typically known as a university foundation year or access programme designed specifically for international students seeking direct entry into UK university education.

are now approved to offer NCC Education’s Level 3 International Foundation Diploma in Higher Education Studies (L3IFDHES).

Mr Faisal Mushtaq, the Chief Executive Officer of TMUC, said "...how happy they are all to be the first accredited NCC Education foundation year provider in Pakistan. With this first, they shall embark on a sustained journey for inclusive growth and progression for local students in support of UK education and study abroad programmes."

Their first intake will be offered from August 2018 at the Karachi campus with plans to expand the programme to Islamabad later.

TMUC is a private, independently governed organisation recognised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan as a transnational education initiative owned and operated by Roots Millennium Schools Education Group. We are also pleased to announce that the NCC Education Digi programmes will be offered through the Roots Millennium Schools in the next academic year.

They were the first and now largest transnational education group operating purpose built University Campuses across all the major urban cities in Pakistan providing innovative undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, professional, skills, accounting, innovative sciences, fashion, design, media and business education.

Direct English is one of the leading franchises in the ELT industry. Direct English (Ireland) is part of the Direct English Linguaphone network based in the UK. Founded in 1997, it is a global leader in language training with schools in more than 20 countries all over the globe.

The foundation programme offers progression to over 70 Universities, including for example the University of London (International), University of Leeds, University of York, Aston University, Plymouth University and Cardiff University.

The course offers elective units in Business, Computing, Science and Engineering, providing progression to a wide range of degree subjects from professional healthcare courses to events management and finance.

Direct English (Ireland) is approved by the Irish Department of Education, authorised by Cambridge BULATS & TIE test centre. It offers numerous courses, from Foundation to Advanced levels, including IELTS exam, General, Academic and Business English.

Both organisations look forward to a long, prosperous and sustained association offering British qualifications in Pakistan.

The Millennium University College (TMUC), Pakistan:

The school is located in one of the most beautiful, vibrant and friendliest cities in Ireland – in the heart of Cork City in the South West of Ireland.

info@tmuc.edu.pk UAN +92 51 111 118 682

Direct English (Ireland) are delighted to work with NCC Education and are looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship together.

For queries please contact Direct English on

info@directenglishireland.ie

connected!

11

ISSUE 2 • 2018

INFOGRAPHIC

10 facts about international education

by Daniel Gavin

More women are enrolling in higher education worldwide than men

Education is the fourth largest source of exports in the US

There are 64.2 million educators in the world

The UAE has announced plans to boost space science in higher education

The number of 18 year olds entering higher education has increased every year since 2012

13,500,000

Over 30s in higher education in 2015

The UK attracts more international students than any other country other than the US

There are over 170 million people in higher education

Total in co of high me educat er i institut onal e s in the UK is ÂŁ34.7 billion

9 out of 10 students, teachers and industry leaders think that jobs are becoming increasingly international

Sources include UniversitiesUk, ProjectExplorer, mjdennisconsulting, brookings.edy, bestmastersineducation, fullfact.org

connected!

12

ISSUE 2 • 2018

PRESS RELEASE NCC EDUCATION WELCOMES

Student Insights KING STAGE TO ITS ACCREDITED PARTNER Shahin Siddique, former student of NCC Education Centre based at Daffodil International Academy in Bangladesh tells us about his experience

CENTRE NETWORK

studying a Business Information Top-up Degree with the University of Greenwich.

“I was a student of Business Information Technology at the renowned University of Greenwich. I was glad to be a part of the esteemed institution and completed my final year graduation last year. I think the holistic learning process has made me a more mature and wise person.

Left to right: Director of Qualifications and Academic Delivery Esther Chesterman, Director of King Stage Kady Doumbia and Business Development Manager Bev O'Donovan

“The BIT course is one of a kind, giving detailed insight into both business and IT concepts. We were provided with standard modules and rich slides that will help us to acquire in-depth knowledge and will help in molding our careers for a better future. The course offers a practical perspective.

Based in the City of London, King Stage are the first Accredited Partner Centre in the UK to offer our full business degree pathway, validated and awarded from the University of Worcester.

“The courses are frequently updated to match with changing times and needs. It helped us to gain insights into technological advancements. The technical challenges were overcome, so I feel more experienced and ready for the professional field.

“I’ve been working as a freelancer in the online marketplace for a long time. In the future, I want to work on product and service based areas in the IT field. I have excellent communication skills that help me build a healthy relationship with my clients.

Founded in 2009, King Stage have a history of delivering excellence in education to students from across the world, who go on to careers in business sectors such as Marketing, Administration, Finance, IT, Accounting, International trade, Management and Communication.

“I’m hopeful that my learning at the University of Greenwich, coupled with innovative ideas from my mind will eventually result in some spectacular creation in the near future.”

The NCC Education degree delivered by King Stage offers flexibility to those in full-time and part-time employment, an international syllabus and a broad range of subject content; suitable for anyone seeking to advance their career and salary prospects in a wide range of these business-related areas.

More information about King Stage can be found here:

connected!

13

ISSUE 2 • 2018

UK Regional Director Andrew Rennie says, “King Stage will be offering NCC Education business courses from September 2018.”

“On behalf of the organisation we would like to wish them all the success they deserve with this launch.

“King Stage have a unique offering in the market. Combined with their professionalism and dedication to delivering teaching excellence, we would have no hesitation in recommending their offer to prospective students.”

NCC Education qualifications are widely recognised by universities, regulators and employers; allowing students also the option to move their studies in the final year to any number of UK Universities and campuses offering a final year top-up year.

www.king-stage.com

PRESS RELEASE contributed by Andrew Rennie

Signing the MOU of Strategic Operation with the Xi’an Beilin District Government In June, we welcomed representatives from Xi’an Beilin District Government, Shaanxi Province to NCC Education.

Attending was the Governor Lu Guangwen, Deputy Chief of the Education Bureau, the Chief of the Economic and Trade Bureau and other important and senior guests.

Also attending was Mr. Su Peng, Secretary General of International Green Design Innovation Alliance of Youth, who was the architect in getting the collaboration between NCC Education and his

Accredited Partner Centre in Bailin up and running and will be delivering our Digi programmes from next academic year. This is our first Accredited Partner Centre in Xi’an.

The purpose of the visit was to sign a Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation between NCC Education and Xi’an Belin District Government and to learn more about each respective organisation and how we can work together closely in future.

The Governor and his colleagues enjoyed the visit immensely and were highly appreciative of our warm hospitality and support.

connected!

14

ISSUE 2 • 2018

PRESS RELEASE Before allowing them to leave, we introduced our visitors to the traditional British fish and chips as this was their first visit to the United Kingdom. This they thoroughly enjoyed.

ADVERTISEMENT

CONVERT YOUR

DIPLOMA TO A DEGREE Study online, graduate from the University of Central Lancashire

BSc (Hons) Business Computing & Information Systems

• Final year of a degree, awarded by the University of Central Lancashire • Flexible online teaching • Study in your own time • Designed for students who have completed NCC Education Level 5 Diploma in Computing/Business IT or HND Computing (or equivalent) In partnership with

connected!

15

ISSUE 2 • 2018

PRESS RELEASE

Informatics Academy Launches First

in Singapore Informatics Academy announced the launch of the Diploma in Esports and Game Design at a press conference held on 1 June 2018. The diploma programme which is registered with the Committee for Private Education (CPE) features an esports component, the first of its kind in Singapore for youths seeking a career in the esports industry and also the fundamentals behind game design and programming.

connected!

With the exponential growth of esports and live streaming of major esports tournaments worldwide, the diploma is designed by industry experts to provide the knowledge necessary in becoming a technical game developer as well as the skills for future professionals who will handle the management of esports teams and streaming of esports events.

Allan Norton, General Manager of Informatics Education Ltd, shared that a set of core modules in the new diploma will aim to “equip students with the practical skills and esports knowledge, for them to pursue a career in the field”. He added, “This is the first time we are launching a diploma of such a nature and have already received tremendous interest. We recognise that there is a growing potential in the esports industry and we hope to provide a nurturing environment to groom future talents who

16

ISSUE 2 • 2018

are looking to establish themselves in this field.”

With aims to build a career path for gaming enthusiasts in Singapore, Informatics Academy has partnered with (Singapore) Cybersports & Online Gaming Association (SCOGA), which operates an esports academy supported by the National Youth Council.

The introduction of the new diploma has also garnered the support of key companies from the industry including ESL Asia, Riot Games and Twitch, by supporting in areas such as curriculum development, industry insights, guest lectures and providing attachment and internship opportunities for students in the programme.

Following the announcement and signing of the memorandum of understanding with Informatics Academy last year, Nicholas Aaron Khoo, Chairman and Co-founder of SCOGA said: “SCOGA

PRESS RELEASE is proud to partner Informatics Academy to allow gamers to pursue their passion in esports full time. We are also humbled to have the support of some of esports’ biggest industry players to bring real world experience and perspectives to the classroom.”

Supporting the launch of the Diploma, Frank Sliwka, Chief Operating Officer, ESL Asia said: “As the global esports industry continues to grow exponentially, so will the demand for quality esports content from fans all around the world. As the world’s leading esports company, we at ESL are particularly mindful of the greater need for highly-trained talents who can help us maintain our global leadership and drive growth in Southeast Asia from our Singapore base. ESL is proud and excited to share with young people in Singapore our experience, knowledge and the exciting range of opportunities in managing events, communities, and giving audiences the very best experiences in esports.”

I am proud to be the school’s ambassador for the Diploma as enrolling in this programme will allow me to gain knowledge from a different perspective of the various aspects of the esports ecosystem and provide me with the opportunity to pursue and upgrade my qualifications in esports which I am passionate about.

Amos Ker, captain of Team Impunity Esports which are competitive in nature, requires the skillsets that are relevant across multiple game genres and platforms. With globalization and widespread adoption of digital technologies bringing increased exposure and the formation of various esports communities, there will be a strong focus on practice-based learning to give students a fuller understanding on the esports and game development industry.

From left: Amos “Quatervois” Ker Captain of Team Impunity, Allan Phang Allstars Engagement and Internal Branding and Team Manager of AirAsia Allstars Esports Club, Nicholas Khoo Chairman and Co-Founder of SCOGA; Raiford Cockfield III CEO of BITRep.me, Allan Norton General ManagerInformatics Academy Pte Ltd and NCC Education Ltd

connected!

17

ISSUE 2 • 2018

The Diploma in Esports and Game Design course is an 8-month (fulltime) or 12-month (part-time) programme designed for fresh school leavers and/or individuals who wish to develop their career in the esports and gaming industry. It will equip them with the fundamentals of game development, esports knowledge and the trend of live streaming of major esports tournament events, together with the concept of game design theories and game programming. Students will have to attend eight theory modules to develop the foundation and practical skills in areas such as fundamentals of esports, live streaming, games development and team management.

Upon successful completion of the modules, students will be awarded the Diploma in Esports and Game Design by Informatics Academy and can pursue their careers or continue with the Advanced Diploma upon graduation.

The Diploma in Esports and Game Design will be offered every year in January, May and September.

Applications for the 1st intake in September 2018, is now open.

For fu ll d progr etails of the a w w w mme, visit: . i nfor edu.s g/esp matic s. or ts desig n-dip -gamelomas /

INTERVIEW contributed by Jeanette Xu At what age did you start playing games and what inspired you to start gaming professionally?

I started playing games when I was seven, but was never serious about gaming as I did not have a computer of my own. My passion for gaming was ignited when I started getting recognition for my talent, eventually becoming one of the top gamers in Southeast Asia.

This opened up opportunities to compete with other players from around the world.

The competitive side of me was intrigued and that was what led me to where I am today.

Besides competitive gaming, you were also coaching your team and helping out at the (Singapore) Cybersport Online & Gaming Association, SCOGA1 and Esports Academy tell us more about your involvement.

Amos Ker is a student

ambassador for Informatics Academy. In this interview he tells Jeanette Xu about his journey in competitive gaming and how he turned his passion into a career. Known online as ‘Quatervois’, the 18-year-old is the team captain of Team Impunity, who competes with players from around the world in the mobile game, Vainglory.

connected!

Being the team captain, I coached and trained my team members with strategies on how to tackle the game. We gathered weekly to practice as a team to improve on our skills and made sure we are up-to-date with the game and ready to compete.

I was also involved in the coaching of the very first Vainglory esports bootcamp organised by SCOGA, which was attended by 100 players. Besides coaching, I helped to develop the academy syllabus and lessons of the Vainglory courses offered at Esports Academy.

18

ISSUE 2 • 2018

What were your parents’ thoughts when you decided to pursue a Diploma in Esports and Game Design?

At first, my parents were not very supportive when I expressed my interest, but that changed after they saw my determination and commitment which showed I have clear idea of what I plan to do.

Now I have made the decision to pursue a Diploma in Esports and Game Design, they are fully supportive of my decision, seeing the viability of esports as a career and the effort I have put in to work towards achieving my dream.

What challenges did you face when you first started out as a professional gamer?

There were a few. People see me as a teenager who is addicted to playing games.

Hence, not being able to get a proper job or even to pursue a career in the future.

I was struggling with time management when I first started out as I was still figuring out how to practice, watch games/streaming and to juggle my personal commitments on top of all those things.

As a competitive gamer, what modules would you most look forward to? Is there any area within the esports ecosystem that you are keen to explore?

What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in Esports?

I’m looking forward to the esports modules, as I am interested to learn how to improve and professionalize my streams. Shout out to my YouTube channel, Quatervois Gaming. Other than streaming, I would love to learn about what goes into creating and managing an esports event and how to manage and provide support for team of players.

NEVER GIVE UP, KEEP WORKING, KEEP PRACTICING AND YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOUR DREAM! My advice to anyone wishing to pursue a career in esports - is that esports requires you to dedicate the same amount of commitment, time and effort to be successful, similar to any other fields of expertise.

1 SCOGA is a gaming association in Singapore, founded by a group of enthusiastic gamers and leaders who wanted to make a difference in the local gaming scene, especially in development of the local esports scene.

connected!

19

2 Esports Academy is an initiative that was started in Singapore by SCOGA, National Youth Council Singapore, Twitch and Informatics Academy, with the aim to develop leaders of tomorrow through esports.

ISSUE 2 • 2018

INTERVIEW interview and written by Kathryn Woodhead

Dominic is the Content Director for the British Esports Association – the national body for esports in the UK. They are a not-for-profit organisation, established in 2016 to promote esports in the UK, increase its level of awareness, improve standards and inspire future talent.

Kathryn Woodhead interviewed Dominic to find out more about the industry and its development, its rising popularity, emerging careers and much more…

How and why was the British Esports Association set up?

Our founder Chester King originally got the idea after his son expressed an interest in esports and Chester realised there wasn’t a good source of information out there for parents. Then he realised a body could be formed to push esports in the UK. Our three goals are to promote esports in the UK and increase its level of awareness, improve the standard of UK esports and inspire future talent.

After founding the association, Chester brought

connected!

20

TEN MINUTES WITH

OMINIC SACCO

on board games industry veteran Andy Payne as chair, myself (a journalist) to head up comms, Rt. Hon. Ed Vaizey MP as vice chair and Tom Dore, a teacher who is heading up our British Esports Championships.

You have an advisory board that meets quarterly to discuss esports. Can you tell us more about the advisory board members and the projects they have been working on?

The advisory board regularly meet to discuss developments and areas of focus for the British Esports Association and offer their input. Each member gives us feedback and works with us to help develop esports in the UK.

ISSUE 2 • 2018

For example, Team Dignitas general manager Michael “ODEE” O’Dell recently visited Nescot College to give a talk and assist students who are taking part in our British Esports Championships pilot.

Currently, our focus has been on the championships.

Other areas of focus include liaising with other educational institutions to assist them with their esports developments, producing documentation like esports age guides and infographics for parents, developing our group of game advisers, and providing assistance and advice to those interested in getting involved with esports; whether it’s students or graduates looking for jobs, the media looking to better cover esports or more.

How popular is esports?

Newzoo has predicted that the global esports economy will reach $900m this year, representing year-on-year growth of 38%.

INTERVIEW

THERE IS SAID TO BE AROUND 200M ESPORTS OCCASIONAL VIEWERS AND 150M ESPORTS ENTHUSIASTS ACROSS THE WORLD. THE TOP TOURNAMENTS HAVE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PRIZE POOLS, WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS, TUNING IN TO WATCH. It’s becoming more and more popular, with new brands and investors getting involved – and new games and players emerging – all the time.

According to statistics, it’s estimated that esports generated nearly $700 million last year, what do you think about the current esports market?

It’s certainly on an upwards curve and is continuing to grow.

It would be great to see some additional interest in grassroots esports to match the professional level, as there are many talented individuals working at the amateur/semipro level too.

There have been talks of esports possibly being included as part of the Olympic Games in the future, what is your opinion on this?

Our view is that esports is not a sport, but a credible activity in its own right.

Some have argued that esports should be classified as a sport partly because

recognising it officially would grant it access to sports funding.

By educating them and their parents as to what esports is, what it involves and what the career opportunities are, we can help foster more talent in the future.

Esports is competitive video gaming: it is currently classified in the UK as a game (like chess and bridge) and not a sport.

However, global tournaments like the Olympics could help to increase the mainstream awareness of esports, and we welcome the interest in this area. It'll be interesting to see how it develops in the future.

Why do you think so many younger people aspire to be pro-streamers and pro-gamers?

WHY DO SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ASPIRE TO BE PROFESSIONALS IN ANY INDUSTRY? IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS AND GOALS.

Aside from pro-streamers and pro-gamers, what are some of the new careers that have been generated from esports?

Esports has opened the door for many people to get involved from both a spectator and an industry perspective.

Like other sports industries, esports shares similar jobs.

Look at all the kids around the world that want to become professional footballers. Esports is similar in that regard – young people want to be a part of an interesting, engaging competitive activity and to make a name for themselves.

connected!

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in gaming?

Aim high, put the hard work in and never give up. Believe in yourself and you can do anything.

21

There are casters (commentators), admins (referees), journalists, team and organisation managers, sales executives, event organisers, observers (who control the in-game camera), stage/desk hosts, team coaches, consultancies, community/social media managers, PR/marketing executives, production/ broadcast staff, recruiters, investors/business owners and more.

You are hosting the British Esports Championships across schools in the UK later this year, can you tell us a little more about this?

This is specifically for school and college students and our pilot is underway right now, running across three games: League of Legends, Overwatch and Project CARS 2.

It involves a wide demographic of students aged between 12 to 19 across four different types of educational establishment: schools, further education colleges, library hubs and alternative provision (pupil referral units).

Weekly matches take place, with fixtures pre-arranged, and time will be allowed for schools and colleges to hold their own internal trials in order to put together their most competitive teams.

The national championships will begin in full in September 2018. It will follow the full academic year from September 2018 until July 2019. With these championships, we hope to inspire young people, parents, teachers, the media and more from across the UK, and help bring more talent into the growing and exciting esports industry.

You can find out more about The British Esports Association by visiting their website: www.britishesports.org/

ISSUE 2 • 2018

INTERVIEW interview and written by Kerry Voellner

A COFFEE AND TEN MINUTES WITH...

THE DALEWARES INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Tell us more about the Dalewares Institute of Technology: The Dalewares Institute of Technology (DIT) was set up in 2007. When the new minister of Education in Nigeria took the seat, she realised that most graduates from the existing education system in the country did not meet the employable criteria in the job market.

WE FORMED A PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT, ENDEAVOURING TO EQUIP STUDENTS WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO FIT IN INDUSTRIES AND ALSO HAVE THE COMPETENCY TO BE SELF-EMPLOYED AND EVEN HIRE STAFF.

So, the government introduced another arm of tertiary education called ‘Innovation Enterprise Institutions’, (IEI) to improve the competency of the graduates in the country.

Our curriculum is completely new, overseen by private and public sectors and the industry and is accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Before this point, there were three basic strands in the tertiary education sector in Nigeria namely: University, Polytechnic and Colleges of Education.

We have now become the fourth strand; these are all for students in Nigeria to choose from after they finish secondary school.

The composition of our curriculum is 70% practical practice and 30% theory teaching. As of the commencement in 2007, we award the National Diploma and were supposed to award Higher National Diplomas accredited by the NBTE within five years of commencement.

connected!

22

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Every issue, we will be talking to a centre to find out more about them and what they do.

In this issue, Editor Kerry Voellner catches up with David Babalola from the Dalewares Institute of Technology in Nigeria.

This didn’t take place due to government bureaucracy, but we’re working towards it and are also increasing student enrolment in the next few months. Once students have completed their secondary education, taken their ‘JAMB’ (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board) examination, they can then apply into IEI for progression for Tertiary Education. At DIT we train them in various aspects, such as innovation, creativity and practical skills etc.

How flexible is your curriculum?

We allow flexibility in our curriculum by continually reviewing and updating with current trends in different areas of study. We want to expose our students to learning options outside of Nigeria.

Our students find our courses quite unique compared to other existing institutions, for instance, Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Network and systems security and Multimedia Technology etc.

But, in addition to the National Diploma being awarded by DIT, we now offer an International Degree pathway for undergraduate and master`s through NCC Education.

The more options one has, the easier one can find their interests and possible career path.

INTERVIEW

How do you support your students in decision making?

We provide qualitative information to them through our annual Tertiary Education Summit and also oneon-one counselling. We also provide information on the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) examinations and admission processes through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) which will lead students to colleges of Education, universities and IEIs. This mainly involves students at the age of 16; about the same age as those who take GCSE in the UK. About 1.7 million students take this exam nationwide each year, but the average capacity of all institutions to accommodate students in the country is around 700 thousand, leaving 1 million students unadmitted.

The admission process in Nigeria is very long; it could take months to conclude. JAMB introduced the “Central Admission Process System” (CAPS) last year to confine students’

access for admissions through to an online platform; students can’t just walk into the office and get advice from admissions staff and be admitted anymore.

This bureaucratic change will take away the opportunity for the staff to engage students while advising them on the application. This however affects only admission into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. The more reason for our partnership with NCC Education, which offers international progression routes and Degree Pathway (undergraduate and Master`s) options for students.

Most students go for government owned institutions, because they wouldn’t need to pay much tuition for their study. This affects the processing speed of the admission.

Admission to private institutions usually gets through more quickly because there’s lower number of candidates for them.

connected!

23

ISSUE 2 • 2018

What’s your ambitions for the future development of Dalewares?

We’re looking to deliver quality education on an international level through our collaboration. We’re looking to expand not necessarily in the physical institution but definitely in the programmes we offer and the number of students and our faculty in the long run.

WE ARE AIMING TO BECOME A ‘SMART INSTITUTION.’

*If you would like to be considered for the Centre Profile of our next issue, please contact: kerry.voellner@nccedu.com

COVER STORY

The consequences of counterfeit certificates Doctors and nurses with fake qualifications working in NHS hospitals, a global crime network generating millions of dollars in revenue, companies unaware of their workers’ fraudulent certificates….these are just a few of the consequences of fake degrees.

BBC journalist Helen Clifton helped uncover the global scandal, resulting in the exposure of a multimillion dollar fake degree empire. She shares her experience with Kerry Voellner and Lydia Wang.

connected!

The idea for the investigation came about when a retired FBI agent who worked on a case regarding a ‘diploma mill’ set up in Pakistan approached the BBC, “We were given information which revealed that over three thousand fake degrees were sold to customers across various industries in the UK between 2013 and 2014.

24

ISSUE 2 • 2018

“Nearly a quarter of a million fake degrees were sold by 350 fictitious high schools and universities globally in just one year.

Considering that hundreds of thousands of fake degrees have been sold by this company just over the last few years, the problem is enormous.

“They are making millions every year. It is a big problem when a company that sets its base on fraud can thrive to the scale of a multi-million empire.”

COVER STORY

It’s not just the degrees that are fake. Professionallooking websites are developed, and fake university officials are employed to recruit ‘students’. “They do a fantastic job reeling people in. One of my colleagues tried to contact them and was directed to someone with a fake name in Pakistan who claimed to be an officer at ‘Nixon University,’” Helen says.

“We also came across some people who were persuaded to buy fake degrees from fraudsters that took the identity of real staff members from renowned universities in the US; they even spoke with an American accent to sound convincing.”

Some of the people buying the fake degrees from this company believed they could gain a degree this way without any study. Helen says: “They put in much effort to make themselves look convincing. It was an extremely elaborate fraud.

“The fake officials are good at convincing potential customers of converting their credentials and gaining a new degree by completing superficial online tests. And when you phone them, they always ask for your professional background before they quote a price. For example, the price of a fake diploma for a doctor would be higher than usual. And the whole process is made quick and easy.”

One of Helen’s fellow investigators rang one of the fake universities, and within a few minutes, he bought a fake degree for a couple of thousand dollars.

The research team also spoke to the General Medical Council about the problem, only to find they didn’t have a solution.

Helen says, “Although the Council does have a robust recruitment procedure for checking medical qualifications, it is still up to the individual employer to check applicants’ additional credentials and take appropriate action. In terms of nationwide action, there’s nothing in place so far.”

The research also found that some people who were purchasing fake degrees included doctors and paediatricians:

The medics we came across all had a degree already; they were using the fake credentials to expand their professional portfolio.

An investigation into a global crime such as this is currently met with some difficulty. The real challenges lie in the barriers between authorities in different countries. For example, British authorities couldn’t interfere with the progression of an investigation in Pakistan.

Helen adds, “We had a chat with the head of HEDD (Higher Education Degree Datacheck), which aims to weed out fake university degrees. But, their work is limited to the UK and can only intervene when something such as a fake website of a British university springs up.

But then this calls into question the credibility of their position as a medical professional. This surely undermines the trust relationship between the medic and their patients?

I believe none of us would be happy to find out that our doctors have fake credentials.”

connected!

25

ISSUE 2 • 2018

And, it doesn’t help that it takes months to shut down one website in a different country; meanwhile more could spring up easily.

Also, there hasn’t been enough quick and decisive action from internet service providers to take down fraudulent websites.

“This particular company selling these fake degrees in Pakistan have been allowed to operate in Pakistan, so until it’s completely tackled there, there’s not much that can be done to stop their activity.

On a brighter side, since the broadcast of the programme on the BBC, the Pakistani equivalent of FBI reopened the investigation. And in July 2018, the man behind the scam, Shoaib Sheikh, along with 22 others, was sentenced to a total of 20 years’ imprisonment by a Pakistani judge. This will hopefully mean the operation will now be shut down.”

COVER STORY

Employers should also be taking action to tackle fake degrees as Helen feels they are underestimating the scope of the problem and the impact it can have on them. “In the UK, only 20 percent of employers carry out thorough credential checks. Although there have been suggestions of comprehensive databases for credentials, so far nothing’s been put in place.

“Employers should be more aware of the gravity of this problem and do their due diligence in preventing fake degrees from getting through the net.

It completely undermines the whole point of earning a degree. If people can get jobs by degrees they bought online within minutes, the trust and credibility of the education system and the professionals would be undermined. This in turn undermines the job market.”

There are a number of other factors which Helen feels could be contributing to the rise of fake degrees, and that is down to the purchasers themselves. “This whole operation is designed to appeal to peoples’ desires and desperation.

“We haven’t really found any direct evidence connecting the purchase of fake degrees with rising tuition fees.

These fake degrees aren’t exactly cheap, considering they could cost thousands of pounds. A lot of people we came across were older and already had experience in their professions. They were buying a degree to move into a new professional area or to get the visa to stay in the country they were already working in, or they just wanted to make their CVs look better.

“I think the main reason for buying fake degrees is that people think they can get away with it, with the authorities turning a blind eye. There’s not been enough regulation on the education market and not enough scrutiny of credentials by employers.

“There’s an increasing commodification of education. People believe they need a qualification to secure a job, even though it’s not necessarily an equation.

It has become as much to do with financial transaction as it is to do with thinking, learning and studying.

You can hear the full radio programme, ‘Degrees of Deception’ by following this link: bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ly731

connected!

26

ISSUE 2 • 2018

The problem is that people have forgotten that education is not about the money, but the acquisition of knowledge.

Unfortunately, we live in a very commercialised world where anything can be bought. But then a lot of qualifications became devalued as a consequence.

When asked about her view on the possible measures that could be taken to tackle this problem, Helen says that people needed to realise that they can’t get away with it. Employers also need to educate themselves and understand the importance of thorough credential checks.

“This company sells people a fake dream. We just need to take it more seriously.”

For more information on Helen Clifton, you can visit her website at: www.helenclifton.com

FEATURE contributed by Esther Chesterman

Q

uality?

But how can we ensure that quality is at the heart of everything we do? There is a simple business methodology which I have used in my previous roles - People, Process and Products.

I WAS VERY LUCKY WHEN I JOINED NCC EDUCATION TO FIND THERE EXISTED A DESIRE TO ENSURE WE DELIVER THE BEST SERVICE TO CENTRES AND STUDENTS. THAT IS A GREAT FOUNDATION TO BUILD UPON.

This approach is well known, and the three tenants are seen in many improvement strategies or business control methodologies. Its popularity is because it is simple. If you focus equally on these three then success is achieved.

But how? How am I looking to bring my experience, knowledge and qualifications to these areas and develop NCC Education further?

In past roles, I have used a Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure all 3 Ps were given the focus they needed. I am working with the team at NCC Education to apply this to the work we do here. A QMS provides a structure and shared outcomes to work on.

So what to do first?

PEOPLE – we can take the 3 Ps further here and add passion, pride and professionalism. This is in full abundance at NCC Education, but to take this further we are looking to ensure we work in a collegial, collaborative way, that all staff are given the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in a way which supports the continual improvement of the company and their own personal growth.

Having a qualification in coaching and mentoring, I understand the importance of providing an environment where everyone believes in their own worth.

connected!

27

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE 3 PS

PROCESS – not the most exciting aspect of business, but without defined processes a business will not succeed. Being ISO9001 trained means I have developed a process thinking approach in all I do. Operationally we will be continually improving our processes and infrastructure.

The principles of ISO9001 are powerful, and it is easy to see why top performing organisations use these to ensure that they are continually improving. Two overarching benefits to the design and implementation of documented QMS include: • Meeting the customer’s requirements, which helps to instil confidence in the organisation • Meeting the organisation's requirements, which ensures compliance with regulations PRODUCTS – Every business needs high quality products. NCC Education has a suite of popular qualifications and we carry out continuous reviews to ensure that this quality is maintained.

To ensure that products meet out centres and students needs we want to provide our customers with more opportunities to share their experience with us so that we develop products which directly support centres and students to reach their business and personal goals. This will be achieved by developing forums and platforms where we can listen to yours and your student’s experiences. This information will be triangulated with product analysis and assessment data.

NCC Education is a well-respected brand and I am looking forward to working on the 3 Ps detailed above. This will create a coherent and cohesive business which will lead to an expansion of our centre network.

ISSUE 2 • 2018

1958

TIMELINE

connected!

28

First ever video game - a simple two-player game based on tennis

1962

Revolutionary programmer Steve Russell invents the first computer game,

1972

First video game tournament took place

1989

Video game consoles

1990

Major eSports tournements took place

1994

The Sony Playstation

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Spacewar!

at Stanford University for Spacewar! Also in the same year, Adventure - the first online game was created by Will Crowther

such as the Atari, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and SEGA were popular at home. Nintendo’s portable Gameboy was also introduced at the end of the 1980’s.

throughout the 1990’s, such as the Nintendo World Championships (1990), QuakeCon (1996) and Professional Gamers League (1997).

made it’s entrance, by now games were played on CDs instead of cartidges.

It is estimated that

2018

Largest eSports tournament took

2017

The French government seeks

2016

DOTA 2; one of the most

2013

the eSports market could generate $1.9 billion by 2018

place in Katowice, Poland. The Intel Extreme Masters had over 170,000 attendees and 46 million online viewers

legislation to have eSports players recognised as professional athletes

popular eSports games to date was created. This game had the largest prize pool for any eSports tournament at $27 million in 2017

Live streaming websites for gamers

became popular

2010’s

Sony’s main competitor Microsoft

2001

South Korea created it’s

2000

released their console, the Xbox

own government body to manage eSports – KeSPA

connected!

29

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FEATURE contributed by Kathryn Woodhead

sports: WOULD YOU CLASSIFY PLAYING VIDEO GAMES AS A SPORT? WHILST SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE IT TO BE A LUDICROUS THOUGHT, IT IS DIFFICULT TO IGNORE THE INCREASING MOMENTUM OF ESPORTS.

A GLOBAL SPORTING PHENOMENON?

What is it?

Esports is a form of competitive video gaming focusing on multiplayer, strategic, shooter or fighter games and is so popular it is set to reach an audience of 600 million by 2020.

The growth of esports tournament events, alongside their live video streams on platforms such as YouTube, Twitch and Mixer has brought the games industry to a new frontier.

By the end of 2018, esports enthusiasts will have watched over 6.6 billion hours of eSports video content online.

To put that into perspective; only 116 million people watched last year’s Super Bowl, making it five times more popular than one of the most talked about sporting events across the United States.

The largest audience for an esports tournament was Intel Extreme Masters in Katowice (Poland) with over 170,000 in attendance and 46 million online viewers, primarily males aged 21-35.

Esports is still classed as a game in the UK. However, over 20 countries including China, Italy, Finland and India have acted to have it recognised as an official sport.

South-East Asia and East Asia lead the esports market, adding it as a medal event in the 2022 Asian games in Hangzhou, China. Esports has also crossed over into education; academies in Asia have been set up to teach students about the competitive gaming industry.

Likewise, other countries are beginning to follow suit to catch up to their level.

Like many sports, esports players are usually part of a professional team. They compete against other progamers in tournament events, viewed by millions online.

connected!

30

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Esports: The Next Olympic Sport?

A hot topic of conversation last year was whether esports should be a part of the Olympic Games.

The debate rages on at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the possibility of its inclusion at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The IOC are keen to move away from traditional ideas of athletic sports and as such, introduced ‘events’ such as baseball, karate and skateboarding to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The IOC told NCC Education, “Esports are showing strong growth, especially within the youth demographic across different countries, and can provide a platform for engagement with the Olympic Movement.”

“Competitive esports could be considered as a sporting activity and the players involved prepare and train with an intensity, which may be comparable to athletes in traditional sports”.

However, to be recognised as an Olympic sport, the IOC also said that “The content of eSports must not infringe on the Olympic values (friendship, respect and excellence)”. Something that could be tricky to achieve, as the two most popular types of video game genres are shooter and action/violent games.

FEATURE

Why is esports so popular?

Gaming is an enjoyable pastime for the younger generation. Whilst the older generation grew up kicking a ball around outside, the youth of today became absorbed by the digital world. Taking much-loved video games and branching out into live events seemed like the next logical step.

The greatest pull of esports is the aspirational narrative anyone can become a professional esports gamer, providing they have the time and energy to invest in learning how to play.

broadcast to millions across the world on streaming platforms.

A professional esports gamer is the equivalent of a celebrity in the gaming world and can generate thousands in income from sponsorships and ticket sales.

Consequently, esports has become an attractive career prospect for many young people.

Future Developments in esports As well as a pro-gamer or pro-streamer, the evolution of esports is continuously giving leeway to the creation of a variety of brand new careers within the fields of technology and business.

Programmers, coders and games designers will be needed on the formulation of new games and fullstack developers and software engineers will be required for the online streaming platforms used to host the events.

With the increasing amount of sponsorships in the esports industry, there will be a number of business careers available in partnership management, advertisement and business development.

Similar to Olympic athletes, esports professionals start from the bottom and work their way to the top, depending on their talent.

Many pro-gamers started out as small-time streamers playing games to a live audience and receiving donations before becoming partnered with those platforms and/or other gaming associations. Fans enjoy getting to know the professional gamers on a personal level and hearing stories about their rise to fame.

Aside from its rising popularity amongst the younger generation, the gaming industry generates more profit than the music and film industry combined.

Esports is becoming an increasingly lucrative market for investors. The esports market generated around $696 million in 2017 and is expected to grow by 41% every year, with some of the largest investments coming from sponsorships with major corporations such as Coca-Cola, Intel and Audi.

Continuing advancements in technology also have an important part to play. Where gaming used to take place at home or amongst friends, it can now be

connected!

(Continued on page 33)

31

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FEATURE contributed by Martin Buck, International Schools Development Manager

CYCLE of an exam paper The end of term global written examination is an educational rite of passage. As students around the world take a last deep breath and turn over their question papers they will almost certainly be sharing something of the same feeling … that there is no going back now!

And there is also no going back at that point for the examination paper!

From its inception, often many months earlier in the awarding organisation, the paper is now live, in use, unchangeable; the definitive assessment artefact for whichever programme module has been studied by students that term.

In fact, by the time a student reads the first question of their examination, the paper itself has been on quite some journey.

Martin is our International Schools Development Manager and has been the leading force behind bringing Digi to the global school’s market. For over 20 years, Martin has worked as a trainer, curriculum developer and senior academic manager in the UK and overseas. Martin can often be seen biking across the English countryside, climbing mountains, playing guitar or spending time with his family.

So, via the magic of CONNECTED – and a little selective narrative building - let us open a brief window into the world of one NCC Education examination paper and its incredible journey half way around the world and back again!

You might be surprised to hear what one of our papers goes through during the examination lifecycle.

We pick things up as our global examination paper is submitted by the unit’s Principal Examiner to the academic team at NCC Education.

The examination date is far off in the future at this point (up to 6 months away in fact!), which is just as well as this is merely the start of our paper’s journey to be ready in time for the students’ big day.

connected!

32

ISSUE 2 • 2018

The Principal Examiner has written questions based on the unit Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria, as well as the expected examination format - or ‘rubric’, as it is known in assessment speak.

For UK awarding organisations, Learning Outcomes refer to descriptions of attainment; in other words what students are expected to achieve. Learning Outcomes are recorded in all qualification and unit specification documents. And each Learning Outcome will have corresponding Assessment Criteria, meaning examples of how a student might demonstrate the particular Learning Outcome has been met. In other words, Assessment Criteria refer to things which students can actually do to show the Learning Outcome has been achieved.

The unit’s Principal Examiner keeps in mind how Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria underpin the teaching and learning programme but also how they must be the foundation for the examination paper that they have produced. And they also know their examination paper will be scrutinised carefully in the next stages.

So, where to next on our examination paper’s journey?

Next stop is an internal check carried out by one of the NCC Education academic staff, before the paper is whisked off for peer review by another subject specialist (called a Reviser).

Each of these checks may uncover the need for adjustments and it is not until this academic review and refining process is completed that the question paper will go to the External Examiner for the qualification, for a final review and approval that the paper is now fit for use.

FEATURE So, our humble examination paper finds itself, eventually, approved for use – and the examination date is getting closer. It has been produced, checked, peer reviewed and approved by several specialist academic staff. Now begins a race against time to get the paper ready for despatch and delivery wherever in the world it is needed.

Office door to one of our African partner centre’s doors. The packs are then stored securely by staff at the centre until the examination day, when the invigilator will open the pack, delivered safe and sound from the UK, to distribute papers out to students in the examination room.

For many young people, becoming a pro-gamer or working in the esports industry is a trendy new career to aspire to and education could be the route to achieving it.

Let’s pick things up again as a test print is arranged and our examination paper moves from electronic to physical format for the first time. It is important to check that the printing process does not alter the overall formatting or text layout, especially if the paper has any complex images or mathematical formulas.

Once this has been done the printers are given the green light to produce enough copies to cover the number of students registered for the examination around the world.

THE BIG DAY IS VERY CLOSE NOW! From printers to Head Office it is a short drive and Operations staff are waiting to take delivery of the examination papers, check and sort them (according to centres and numbers of candidates), package them up together with other examination documentation and securely store the packages ready for sending out to centres.

And via our brief window into the world of assessment we will track an examination package, via international courier, as it travels over 6,000 miles to Kenya; from NCC Education Head

NCC Education and Informatics are currently working with Singapore’s Cybersports and Online Gaming Association (SCOGA) on the development of a new esports course in Singapore to educate

The big day has arrived. The paper is ready, the students are ready (hopefully!) and there’s no going back now.

REFERENCES:

Well, except for the examination documentation’s return journey back to the UK for marking, moderation and the assessment board where results are confirmed – but perhaps that is a journey to describe on another occasion, together with the exciting new plans for electronic assessment options across the NCC Education range of qualifications.

Finally, after results are released our examination paper is ‘retired’, as a past paper and reference resource.

And I am sure you will agree after the journey it has taken, this is indeed a wellearned rest.

connected!

(Contined from page 31)

33

BBC Sport, (2017). ‘Esports set for £1bn revenue and 600 million audiences by 2010’ BBC Sport, 21st March 2017.

Available from: https://goo.gl/v3BKn1 CybBet, (2016). ‘Which countries have just recognised eSports list’ CybBet, 14th December 2016.

Available from: https://goo.gl/zMM2PQ Daws, R. (2017). ‘Research: the state of the video game industry in 2017’ Developer Tech, 21st April 2017.

Available from: https://goo.gl/1Hjr9M Harris, R. (2017). ‘AP News Interview: Paris open to E-Sports on 2024 Olympic programme’ AP News, 8th August 2017. Available from: https://goo.gl/xGC8mW Huddleston Jr, T, (2017).

‘Here’s how many people watched the Super Bowl’ Fortune, 6th February 2017.

Available from: https://goo.gl/2WTiv9

ISSUE 2 • 2018

students about this upand-coming industry.

Students will learn about the management and streaming of esports events, as well as technical skills in games design and development.

In the meantime, we have a selection of computing and business diplomas available to provide a stepping stone into the esports industry.

Newzoo (2017). 2017 Global E-Sports Market Report.

Available from: https://goo.gl/UEjEC9 Meola, A. (2018). ‘The biggest companies sponsoring E-Sports teams and tournaments.’ Business Insider UK, 12th January 2018.

Available from: https://goo.gl/pwDe5o Statista (2017). Number of unique viewers of selected E-Sports tournaments worldwide from 2012 to 2017 (in millions).

Available from: https://goo.gl/SA7YVf Statists (2018). eSports audience size worldwide from 2012 to 2020, by type of viewers (in millions).

Available from: https://goo.gl/CU5XGB Wikipedia (2018). eSports.

Available from: https://goo.gl/aXiJRb

FEATURE contributed by James Davis, Wakelet

about

Wakelet is a content curation platform based in Manchester, UK. Wakelet allows you to save, organise and tell stories using content from the web. You can easily embed articles, videos, Tweets, podcasts, images and pretty much anything with a URL into a beautiful looking Wakelet collection.

Wakelet for Education

Collections can be created in minutes on any topic and can be made public, kept private, or shared with friends, colleagues or the world.

Items can also be added via our iOS or android app, or our browser extension.

Universities such as Harvard, Cambridge and Yale are using the platform today, as well as schools and colleges across the world.

You can also add your own images and text to give your collection of links more context.

Wakelet has quickly become one of the most powerful free EdTech tools, and we have seen a big increase in educators and students using Wakelet in many different ways. We’re really excited about bringing in even more features for the education sector.

Students, businesses, journalists, musicians, athletes, and many more are using Wakelet to organise and share information creatively.

Here’s how educators and students are using Wakelet:

You can check out how people are using Wakelet on our discover page.

connected!

34

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Digital storytelling assignments

Educators and lecturers are using Wakelet to set assignments for their students across many different subjects and courses. The students search the web to find relevant pieces of research and content to create a story or a narrative. They can add social media posts, videos, images, podcasts, and articles as well as their own notes, which makes it the perfect platform to tell a story with content to back it up.

Students are usually marked on the strength and depth of their research, and how well they have managed to create a narrative in their collection.

FEATURE Saving research

It’s a great way to teach students the importance of research, and encourage them to showcase information in a modern, logical and visually engaging way.

A very simple use but a very effective one! Students and educators can save their online research into Wakelet (just like bookmarking). However, the reason why they love Wakelet so much is because they can organise their bookmarks and easily find them by using our filters. Students are finding Wakelet particularly useful when it comes to making sense of their researching, and organising it in a way that suits their study styles.

Example: wke.lt/w/s/gaxwU

Share tips and resources

The majority of educators on Wakelet have told us that they love the ability to share resources with their students in an engaging and useful way. They’ve been able to help their students by creating collections of content from around the web, and sharing them during workshops and lectures.

Example: wakelet.com/@BetsyWilkening7267

Portfolios

Another use for students and teachers is using Wakelet as a portfolio. They can save all of their work and achievements into one place and showcase it to the people that matter the most. This can include any published articles (for journalism students), photographs, podcasts, videos and even assignment documents. They can effectively create a digital CV using their Wakelet profile.

Examples: Journalism: wakelet.com/@carolinescott Kindergarten: wakelet.com/@BrandiReams

Quotes from Educators

Example of a Journalism students profile: wakelet.com/@alicehearing

Brian Seymour

Dr Randall Sampson

Director of Instructional Technology Pickerington Local School District

CEO of Liberty Leadership Development

Wakelet is an intuitive personalized learning portfolio. As K-12 educators, we use Wakelet to capture, curate and share meaningful learning experiences.

Wakelet is a tool that Pickerington Local School District educators use to curate their personalized professional growth and students’ 1:1 technology experiences.

Kim Fox

Misbah Gedal

Journalism Professor - American University of Cairo

who leads marketing at Wakelet

The reaction to Wakelet as an educational tool has been incredible. With more students and educators using the platform than ever, we are looking to bring in even more features that will help Wakelet become as useful as possible for the education community.

connected!

I find Wakelet has multipurpose use for education: organizing course materials in one place, recapping Twitter chats, ePortfolios and more. The ease of use is key; you'll be up and running with a new Wakelet account in no time. Finally, the Wakelet support team has been super accessible and supportive.

I appreciate and value that.

35

ISSUE 2 • 2018

ADVERTISEMENT

COMPLETE YOUR BRITISH DEGREE Study a British Computing Degree in Your Home Country

BSc (Hons) Business Computing and Information Systems Diploma in Computing Level 4

Diploma in Computing Level 5

BSc (Hons) Business Computing and Information Systems

Delivered online by NCC Education, validated, and awarded by the University of Central Lancashire. Students are invited to attend their

Graduation Ceremony, which is held at the Preston Guild Hall in the UK.

Registration Number: 266516.

Registered in England and Wales.

VAT: GB 115 1204 735

connected!

36

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FEATURE contributed by Olivia Bussey

What is

Ofqual is the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual); they regulate qualifications, examinations and assessments in England.

It is a government body responsible for ensuring that all qualifications and assessment meet high quality standards by monitoring awarding organisations’, assessments and examinations and taking the necessary action to ensure that the qualifications meet the needs of learners, higher education institutions and employers. Ofqual is accountable to UK Parliament.

My role as the Head of Quality Assurance at NCC Education is to manage all aspects of regulation and compliance with Ofqual. I lead a rolling year-round programme of internal compliance audits across all NCC Education’s products and services- I ensure all NCC Education’s qualifications and processes are fit for purpose and comply with the requirements set out by Ofqual.

I support all colleagues within the organisation with their regulatory compliance; working in conjunction with the Quality Assurance Manager to investigate all irregularities which threaten the integrity of delivery, assessment and awarding systems for all qualifications including adverse effects, and cases of malpractice and maladministration.

Why is it important for an awarding body to be regualted with an organisation such as Ofqual?

Ofqual ensure that learners are provided an access to high quality qualifications which meet appropriate standards. This is achieved by monitoring the awarding bodies and taking action whenever and wherever there is a risk to quality. Ofqual also makes sure that the qualifications offered by awarding organisations are of comparable quality with other qualifications in the UK and overseas, that the candidates have an equal access

to qualifications and assessment and encourage a debate about topics such as standards of qualifications.

What does being regualted by Ofqual mean for students?

Students can have confidence in NCC Education’s qualifications that they are studying because Ofqual as an internationally recognised government body - has quality stamped NCC Education’s provision and NCC Education is accountable to Ofqual.

Some benefits of Ofqual regulated qualifications are: • Peace of mind: Students’ knowledge, skills and understanding are assessed against nationally and internationally accepted and widely used qualification and regulatory frameworks • Assurance: Assessments are quality assured and benchmarked against those frameworks to show what a student has achieved; • Worldwide Recognition; • Quality and Value

What does it mean for centres?

NCC Education is proud of its status as an Ofqual-recognised Awarding Organisation, and this recognition means that Centres can be assured that the qualifications we offer are of a high standard. NCC Education qualifications are held in high regards internationally and Centres can have confidence in the quality of the NCC Education qualifications that they are delivering.

What does NCC Education have to do to be regulated by Ofqual?

NCC Education have to ensure that we as an Awarding Organisation, and all qualifications we offer, meet Ofqual’s General Conditions of

connected!

37

ISSUE 2 • 2018

Olivia is our Head of Quality and Compliance and Ofqual’s Responsible Officer. She is responsible for managing all aspects of regulation and compliance with Ofqual. She strategically oversees and improves the implementation of NCC Education’s academic quality assurance and assessment performance analysis activities.

Olivia has many years’ experience in teaching, training and managing business development programmes. Outside of work, Olivia enjoys spending her time with her husband and their two sons. An arts and culture lover, she enjoys travelling, and is an ardent reader. A keen runner, Olivia enjoys active leisure time, be it running, swimming or long walks.

Recognition, by putting in place policies and procedures to prevent, reduce and mitigate any risks as far as possible that are likely to occur.

Centres play an important part in this too – by complying with our Centre Regulations and helping to prevent Malpractice and Maladministration, Centres can help ensure that NCC Education continues to meet the requirements of our regulators.

What challenges does this present when delivering education overseas?

Preventing and mitigating risks to ensure compliance is challenge, particularly when on a global scale, however, I am confident that NCC Education’s approach of working with our Centres overseas enables us to regularly review the arrangements in place with Centres on an annual basis and ensure that we are working together to maintain our recognition both in the UK and internationally.

FEATURE contributed by: Charlotte Heyn

Here are some interesting Facebook statistics from HootSuite: • Facebook has more users than any other social network • The Facebook audience network reaches more than a billion people • The gender split on Facebook is fairly even • Facebook users spend nearly half an hour a day using the site • 95.8% of social media marketers say Facebook delivers the best ROI among the social networks.

Following on from our previous article in the first issue of CONNECTED, the second in our series of

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

looks at company profiles.

In the past, static billboards and print advertising were the preferred methods of communication. Today digital media has opened a new realm of marketing opportunities. As the digital space evolves, companies should rethink and adapt their marketing methods to stay relevant in competitive markets.

Having an active brand presence on a social media platform such as Facebook has many benefits for your brand. Facebook is a free platform which allows pages to publish content and paid media and as a result; enables an increase of brand awareness.

If you have a company Facebook page, you can receive real-time feedback from consumers and engage in a two-way conversation with current and new clients.

Facebook is an affordable platform for advertising and running paid social media averts is good value for money.

connected!

38

ISSUE 2 • 2018

blog.hootsuite.com/ facebook-statistics/

Key points to keep in mind when creating and managing your company Facebook page:

1. Profile pictures and cover images A clear brand objective and offering should be evident on your company Facebook page.

Having a cover image that states your unique selling point can be effective, as this is usually the first visual seen on a Facebook page.

Alternatively, upload a video as the cover image on your company Facebook page. Video clips allow brands to tell their stories in an engaging way.

Feature your logo or brand avatar as a profile picture.

FEATURE

2. Be Inter-active

4. Engagement is the goal

Publish relevant and appealing content that appeals to your social media audience. A first-time visitor to a company Facebook page should be intrigued and informed. This means the social community should be:

Engagement is good. All types of engagement need to be acknowledged.

If you receive a complaint on your company Facebook page, don’t fret; receiving real-time feedback from customers is a form of data capturing.

• Interested enough to click on your Facebook page • Intrigued by the service/product offering • Captured long enough to stay on the page and retain brand specific information • Curious enough to follow your page to see future posts made by your account • Engaged enough to comment, like and interact with published content

Brands receive real-time feedback from their customers via platforms such as Facebook, so see it as an opportunity to solve queries. The more we know, the more able we are to change and improve.

3. Monitoring your Facebook page If you decide to represent your company on Facebook, ensure that your company page is constantly monitored and regularly updated.

Have a dedicated person or team in place to manage the Facebook page.

Knowledge is power.

5. The Facebook community When starting a company Facebook page, remember it’s not all about the numbers. A big following on Facebook shows a well-established brand whilst having a broad network.

Your audience has to be relevant.

Keep in mind WHO you are talking to. For example, if your followers have no interest in education, then they are irrelevant to your marketing objectives – so would not be interested in purchasing from you.

But if you have followers who are interested in what you do and are potential buyers, then this is more relevant.

What would you prefer – 1000 followers who aren’t interested in what you do or 100 who are?

Remember quality over quantity!

It’s time to join the community.

Be social.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that your company brand presence is managed effectively; this will assist in reaping the many benefits that Facebook has to offer.

Remember - A poorly managed presence is worse than not having a presence at all.

connected!

39

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FEATURE contributed by: Gracious M. Al

(Msc. Public Health and Health Promotion -2017/18)

A Quest for a

Dream Career My dad, an agricultural extension professional who has devoted his life helping local farmers, has been a great inspiration and role model in building my interest in community service. No wonder that, when I graduated from high school, I didn’t think twice about walking in my dad’s footsteps and I applied for admission into a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Extension at the University of Malawi.

However, two years into those studies, I discovered that, although community service is in my blood, agriculture was not my field. Rather, I had developed an unquenchable interest in public health.

I graduated from the university in 2012, more determined than ever to chase through thick and thin every opportunity that could gain me entry into public health.

By good fortune and hard work, in January 2014, I secured a job with an international organization, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), supporting the Ministry of Health in Malawi scale up community management of acute malnutrition among children of under five years. Five months into the job, I was offered the challenging but yet exciting new task of coordinating the supply chain of malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia drugs for 504 village clinics for under-fives, an intervention parallel to government programmes, which, after successful implementation was transitioned over to government in March 2015.

Despite the fact that I had landed myself a job in the field I longed for and seemed to be getting on well, I still felt that I could do much greater things if I acquired appropriate technical knowledge and skills in public health. I therefore decided to do whatever I possibly could to further my studies, with the particular aim of studying public health at Master’s level in one of the leading universities in the world.

At the start of 2015, I started making applications to my preferred universities in the UK and Ireland.

connected!

40

Unfortunately, these resulted in the familiar “we regret to inform you that your application for admission was unsuccessful” emails, as I was deemed ineligible. “Life goes on!” I assured myself, and planned to bounce back with another round of applications the following year, while in the meantime adding one more year of public health work experience to help make my application stronger. Upon handing over the supply-chain project to the Ministry of Health at the end March of 2015, I was immediately greeted with another exciting assignment by the same employer to support the Ministry of Health in the national roll out of injectable artesunate, a newly recommended first-line treatment for severe malaria, replacing injectable quinine, a project which I was to coordinate until the following year.

How time flies! Soon 2016 was upon us, bringing the opportunity to resume Master’s applications, targeting the same universities, but this time around more upbeat for “We are pleased to inform you that your application….”.

How imagination catches reality; I was offered admission into a total of four programmes at three universities, two in the UK and one in Ireland, out of which I settled for the MSc. in Public Health and Health Promotion at Bangor University. However, there was still one more mountain to climb: I had not yet secured funding for a September 2016 start, which fact obliged me to request a deferment of my admission into 2017/18 academic year. My only hopes for funding were the Commonwealth Commission and Chevening scholarships, the two prestigious UK government scholarships for overseas students, both of which were scheduled to open for applications for the 2017/18 academic year late in 2016. I applied and was fortunately shortlisted for both schemes, and was eventually awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship.

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FEATURE I enrolled at Bangor University in September 2017 and truth be told, my world has tremendously changed during the few months I have been at Bangor so far. The teaching and research at the university are of high quality, the people are friendly, and the physical environment is quiet and pleasant. I have no regrets on choosing Bangor University!

Prior to my arrival, I was coordinating implementation of a community-based family planning project, which is expected to be transitioned to the Government of Malawi (Ministry of Health) at the end of 2018. My immediate plan upon completion of my studies is to return back to Malawi, and contribute to government programmes that are intended to address health inequalities. Further, I wish to become a successful public health social entrepreneur to enable me address such inequalities at local and national levels in a sustainable manner.

Although I do not yet consider myself successful, I am confident that I am a better version today of what I was yesterday. I am certain that I was meant to be and belong in this field, and that I am on the right path to success.

Achieving the switch from agriculture to public health as demonstrated through successful coordination of scalable projects, and the acquisition of admission into postgraduate studies at this prestigious university coupled with such a prestigious scholarship are great milestones in my career

journey. I would like to encourage everyone out there caught in the valley of dreams versus reality; do not quench out the flame inside you, pursue your dreams, and face whatever hiccups life presents you until you can shout “I overcame and I made it!” The sky is the limit.

ADVERTISEMENT

Your Final Step to a British Business Degree Study Online, graduate from the University of Worcester BA (Hons) Business Administration

• Final year of a degree, awarded by the University of Worcester • Flexible online teaching • Study in your own time • Designed for students who have completed HND in Business/a Foundation degree in Business (or equivalent)

connected!

41

In partnership with

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FEATURE contributed by: Kathryn Woodhead

Study Healthcare with NCC Education’s International Foundation Diploma Two new electives, Biology and Chemistry have been added to NCC Education’s Level 3 International Foundation Diploma for Higher Education Studies (L3IFDHES).

Resources are now available for centres to start teaching.

Darrell McGivern, NCC Education’s Head of Product, who has been overseeing the development of these new electives said, “We are pleased to be able to provide students with the foundations to go on to study a science/ healthcare related degree at university.

The Chemistry elective will cover topics such as the Periodic Table, chemical reactions, chemical structures and bonding and formulas. Whereas Biology covers the features of living organisms and human biology, such as the nervous system, including skeletons and muscles.

“With it being a new pathway, we had to make sure we carefully selected the right content for the course. We conducted detailed market research to ensure students got the best possible experience.

We also spoke to L3IFDHES centres during this development stage, asking them to give us feedback on our ideas. One of the things we picked up on was that a lot of centres would prefer theory-based courses.

“We then made sure to develop theory-based chemistry and biology materials, but for extra added-value - we also included optional lab exercises for centres with the equipment. “

Students will learn analytical skills, complex scientific theories and work on their mathematical skills using formulas and equations.

Students who wish to apply must have completed secondary education in a range of appropriate subjects (such as science, biology and chemistry) and have at least 4.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

After successfully completing the Level 3 International Foundation Diploma, students could go on to study science-related degrees at university.

It is anticipated that there will also be university progression routes available in chemical and gas engineering, as well as in healthcare degrees, such as nursing, pharmacy, psychology, midwifery, optometry and dentistry.

Feel free to join in the conversation on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/NCCEducation/ Tweet us @NCCEducation Share a snap on Instagram using the hashtag #NCCEdu or follow us @NCC_Education

connected!

42

ISSUE 2 • 2018

FEATURE contributed by: Julie Roberts - Lecturer in Midwifery School of Healthcare Sciences, Bangor University

Article published: 30 November 2017

Betsi Quthing International Health Partnership:

Adventure of a

Betsi Midwife in Lesotho It seemed such an innocuous question at the time, “Who fancies going to Lesotho to teach obstetric emergency skills?” I took a deep breath and heard the words emanating from my mouth “That’s something I might be interested in!”

As we navigate through life we become accustomed to our everyday routine and surroundings, settling into the security that living in a developed country affords us.

Landing in the small airport in Maseru, the country’s capital, I was immediately struck by the sparseness of facilities but, conversely, the abundance of genuine affection from those who were waiting to greet us.

Before I could utter another syllable I was on the countdown to what was to become one of the most exceptional experiences of my life. On reflection, I truly believe that had I more time to contemplate this decision, I would have found numerous reasons not to accept this challenge and that would have proven to be one of my greatest, lost opportunities.

I knew that this was going to be demanding work, but I had worked as a Registered Midwife, I knew what hard work was! What I was not prepared for was the effect this beautiful country and its warm-hearted and resilient people would have on me, professionally and personally.

The startling facts are that in Lesotho average life expectancy is 53 years, in a country where the prevalence of HIV is one of the highest in Sub Sahara Africa (23% of the population are known to carry the virus). Lifetime risk of Maternal Death is 1:53 and Infant Mortality in 2016 was 93.5 per 1000 live births, so, understandably, becoming pregnant is not always the life affirming event one would want it to be.

Even so, walking through the clinic waiting rooms, passing young mothers who had walked an average of three hours to attend and then faced an uncertain waiting time, we were met with smiles and the customary greeting, ‘Lumela Mme’.

It was through these little acts of warmth and resilience that I came to realise that we had so much to learn from this community; about strength and hope. And there is hope. The staff in the hospitals and village clinics are passionate about the women they care for and strive daily to provide guidance and support, in addition to clinical attention.

They embraced the resources and training that we brought to the sessions and, as seen in the photograph, were hands on with all aspects of the practical skills lessons. So, it is vitally important that this work continues and we continue to strengthen bonds forged in friendship and caring.

connected!

43

ISSUE 2 • 2018

COMPLETE YOUR BRITISH DEGREE Study a British Business Degree in Your Home Country

BA (Hons) Business Administration Diploma in Business Level 4

Diploma in Business Level 5

BA (Hons) in Business Administration

Delivered online by NCC Education, validated, and awarded by the University of Worcester.

Students are invited to attend their Graduation Ceremony, which is held in the historic Worcester Cathedral, UK.

Registration Number: 266516.

Registered in England and Wales.

VAT: GB 115 1204 735