The Diploma/BSc Degree in Rural Development, which was delivered between 1996 and 2015, was an innovation in higher education in Ireland.
All four NUI member universities - Maynooth University (NUI Maynooth), University College Cork (UCC), University College Dublin (UCD) and NUI Galway - developed the diploma and degree programmes collaboratively, drawing on respective teaching and research strengths in areas such as rural development policy and society, rural business development, food business, economic geography, marketing and financial management and adult and community development. The report concludes that “the whole was significantly greater than the sum of the parts.” (p.8)
The courses were targeted at mature learners seeking third level qualifications in the area of rural and community development and offered professional development opportunities for rural enterprise managers and entrepreneurs, enterprise support and local authority staff and others involved in rural and community development sectors.
Students were part-time learners and “… many had never anticipated ‘going to college. (p10.). Many students were financially supported through the EU LEADER programme. Students universally reported that they “… had gained and/or refined their skills and aptitudes in respect of critical thinking, research, analysis and report writing. Students attributed their career progression, mainly in local development companies, to their participation in the programme.
The universities provided jointly-developed undergraduate curricula delivered online as well as on -campus and in community-based facilities. The report notes that “The programme’s evolution paralleled the emergence of an increased range of new technologies, which the universities embraced.” (p.10).
While Blended Learning approaches are now more commonplace in our universities and colleges, the Rural Development programme leaders were ahead of their time in offering this blended learning approach in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.
Report available at http://www.nui.ie/news/docs/2021/RuralDev_report_v6_300921.pdf
Dr. Attracta Halpin, Registrar of the NUI, Drs Kathy Walsh and Breandán Ó’Caoimh, report authors, will speak to the major findings of the study at the Department of Rural and Community Development, (DRCD) Higher Education Institution network launch event on Tuesday 5th October.