[dropcap]DCU[/dropcap] announced a partnership yesterday with FutureLearn to provide 30 scholarships to refugee and asylum seekers.
FutureLearn is a global leader in online learning and have partnered with DCU to launch 30 refugee scholarship.
It will allow refugees and asylum seekers living in Ireland to carry out online courses and gain certificates.
This initiative will allow them to do this through an online platform provided by FutureLearn.
“We are delighted to be building upon our partnership with DCU in providing 30 scholarships for refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland, who will have an opportunity to access hundreds of flexible learning options,” Mark Lester, director of partnerships development at FutureLearn, said when announcing the scholarships.
Among the courses offered, ‘Irish 101’, the first global Irish language course, will be able to be accessed by those with the scholarships. The course is part of the 20-year strategy for the Irish language 2010-2030.
“We are delighted that ‘Irish 101: Introduction to Irish Language and Culture’ is a core component of this joint DCU & FutureLearn initiative. Not only will it support this community of learners as they connect with the Irish language and Irish culture, but it will also provide them with an opportunity to engage with learners from around the globe,” Mairéad Nic Giolla Mhichíl, Head of the Ideas Lab and Fáilte ar Líne Project, at the National Institute for Digital Learning in DCU, said.
Ellen Fitzpatrick
Image credit: DCU