By Eamonn Keyes
The UHI Orkney Campus of the University of the Highlands and Islands on East Road in Kirkwall held an open day on Thursday, January 25th.
This gave prospective students an opportunity to see and help choose from the wide range of courses available and to chat to UHI Orkney staff and find out any additional information required for the decision.
There was representation present from many of the departments at UHI Orkney, including:
- Agriculture
- UHI Archaeology Institute
- Art & Design
- Business Studies
- Computer Science
- Construction
- Education, Health and Social Care
- Hairdressing
- Hospitality
- UHI Institute for Northern Studies
- Progression courses
- Short courses
Although there are many standard courses offered, some offer opportunities that are well- suited for possible jobs in Orkney, such as Hospitality, Agriculture and Archaeology, so that graduates have the option of continuing to live and work in Orkney rather than having to move further afield in order to work. The UHI Orkney’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is used extensively and means that study is possible from anywhere in the world using online resources and videoconferencing, both in real time and from recorded lectures.
Lecturer Dr Ben Elliott was a mine of information for Archaeology, which is well covered course wise by a BA Honours Degree and postgraduate degrees with an MSc in Archaeological Practice and an MLitt in Archaeological Studies. Not surprisingly given Orkney’s rich Neolithic and Viking heritage these courses have strong practical fieldwork modules, but they can also address archaeology from the recent past as well.
Although 2024 sees the end of the Ness of Brodgar dig, students still have the opportunity to learn and perform fieldwork at other sites such as The Cairns in South Ronaldsay, which is one of UHI Archaeology Institute’s flagship projects, Swandro and Skaill Farm in Rousay and other sites in Stronsay.
Island Tourism and Tourist Guiding is another Orkney-directed course, with an SQCF Level 6 qualification offered as well as a Green Badge. The popularity of Orkney as a tourist destination makes this a very viable qualification for use within existing businesses or even as an opportunity to start up a new business. Subjects like Sustainability, Heritage and Culture feature within the course, and there are links to organisations like the RSPB. Study can be via Distance Learning or part time study.
Possible areas of employment for the qualification include:
- Airports
- Airlines
- Shipping, ferry and cruise companies
- Car rental firms, coach companies
- Tourist boards, tourist information centres
- Visitor attractions
- Guiding Accommodation providers
- Travel agencies and Tour operating firms (domestic, inbound and outbound)
- Ranger jobs
- Developing own business
UHI Orkney offers a National Certificate in Art and Design, leading to a Fine Art BA (Hons)and MA Postgraduate course. The NC includes a wide variety of fine art, design and applied arts specialism, from drawing, painting and sculpture to photography, printmaking, felting and knitting. Students span all ages and ranges of experience and can study full time or part time, one day a week or on short courses.
UHI Orkney partners with UHI Moray, UHI Shetland and UHI North West & Hebrides, and the network provides links and connections with other island communities, mainland Scotland, and internationally. There are shared and networked projects and courses, exciting opportunities for exchanges, exhibitions and research. Tutors and lecturers are all practicing artists and designers who work and exhibit locally and internationally, and the courses also have regular visiting artists who do talks and run short projects. UHI Orkney works closely with the wider cultural community in Orkney, with local arts and crafts businesses and with museums and galleries, particularly the Pier Arts Centre which also helps to deliver the professional practice programme. New courses have been developed that involve interdisciplinary work with for example, archaeology and science.
For over 20 years Scotland has been at the forefront of video games development, with many famous games such as the huge selling Grand Theft Auto having been developed. To tie in with this and other digital industries the Department of Computer Science runs a number of courses ranging from a NC in Computer Games Design to a BSc (Hons) in Computing, along with a HND in Computer Science and an HNC in Computing. The courses include Games Design and Development, Social Media Productions and System Hacking and Forensics, as well as Web Design and Computer Networks. Many previous students have progressed to degree courses, gone into relevant employment or have started their own business.
A discussion with staff revealed that as part of Inclusive Practice UHI Orkney provides a number of tailored courses suited to school leavers and young people with a variety of learning and additional support needs. The emphasis of the Pathways to Independence course (SCQF Level 1) is on the development of life skills to enable students to access an independent lifestyle. The course focuses on the development of practical core skills for independent living within a task centred approach.
Educational support is delivered by UHI Orkney Student Support Staff. The curriculum adheres to the Curriculum for Excellence and aims to enable each student to be a successful learner, a confident individual, a responsible citizen and an effective contributor. This is further developed within the Future Tracks (SCQF Level 4/5) and the Stepping Stones (SCQF Level 4/5/6) courses.
These provide general courses of study for students who have not decided on, or are not ready for, a specific vocational course or employment, and the main focus is on personal and vocational development. They provide the opportunity to achieve useful academic qualifications, which will help students progress onto other UHI Orkney courses in the future, or to go into employment, and are ideally suited to school leavers who are unsure what to do next or need further qualifications and study skills.
UHI Orkney also provides the main campus for the fascinating Institute for Northern Studies (INS). The INS is internationally renowned for its innovative undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research programmes offering courses like BA (Hons) Culture & Heritage, MLitt Highlands and Islands Literature, the unique MLitt Orkney and Shetland Studies, MLitt Scottish Heritage and MLitt Viking Studies. There is also the additional opportunity to do bespoke courses.
These courses have a global reach attracting students from across the world, giving the opportunity to study the rich heritage and culture of the Highlands and Islands.
Those listed above are just examples of the wide range of courses and subjects highlighted at the UHI Orkney Open Day, which I found to be well worth a visit, as I may well avail of one of the courses sometime during my retirement, and I was both surprised by the range of courses available and impressed by the approach and helpfulness of the staff attending.
They will certainly help you choose the right course for you in this hugely valuable resource for the people of Orkney and the world in general.
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