ENNIS REGIONAL LEARNING CENTRE - New 3rd Level Centre in Ennis

www.ennisrlc.ie

The Ennis Regional Learning Centre (Ennis RLC) is a new third-level centre which opened in Ennis, Co. Clare in 2009. This is a Shannon Consortium initiative. The Shannon Consortium is an education partnership between the University of Limerick, Limerick Institute of Technology, Mary Immaculate College and the Institute of Technology, Tralee.

The Shannon Consortium Ennis Regional Learning Centre is a Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Cycle 2 initiative administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) aiming to provide flexible access to higher education for the people of Co. Clare.

Ennis Regional Learning Centre will offer third-level programmes, an educational guidance service and workshops and seminars aimed at adults who are planning to study at third level.

Our Vision

The aim of the Ennis RLC is to widen participation in higher education. As an outreach centre, it hopes to bring third level education closer to those who traditionally do not travel to the existing regional colleges and universities.

The Shannon Consortium’s vision is to transform the higher education landscape in the Clare region, with each partner contributing according to its distinctive yet complementary strengths. The Regional Learning Centre aims to provide accessible, flexible, accredited, third level opportunities at Levels 6-8 on the National Framework of Qualifications in Co. Clare in response to the needs of the local population.

Target groups for the centre are those who wish to gain a third level qualification, with particular emphasis on the disadvantaged in society, such as those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, mature students or those with a disability.

News

    The Ennis Regional Learning Centre plans to offer a range of services aimed at adults who are thinking about returning to third level education or of going to third level for the first time. The following services will be offered at the centre:Accessible, flexible, accredited third level opportunities for adults in the Clare region. These courses will be provided in response to local demand.

From September 2009 the following three undergraduate courses will be offered:

• LIT Higher Certificate in Business & Computing
• MIC Certificate in Youth & Community Work

A free Educational Guidance service for adults aged 18+ will be offered in Ennis for 2 days per month.

This service is aimed at adults who are considering a return to learning. It will provide an opportunity to discuss your options with an experienced educational guidance counsellor

Free 'Return to Learning' Workshops will be provided by the centre. These are aimed at providing some of the information and skills you will need as an adult learner in higher education

Education Guidance

There is a FREE educational guidance service for Adults over 18 who wish to study at third level. This can be used to discuss your options and to find out what is available to you as an adult learner. You will get information about access for adult learners to third level education including foundation, access and mature student access programmes. This service offers:

A guidance counselling service to help you explore your learning options and to make informed decisions and choices.

An opportunity to plan your journey into and through third level education and to avail of the services of an experienced guidance counsellor, Patricia-Anne Moore.  We plan to offer this educational service for two days per month.  Exact days will vary from month to month - you can now ring the office to check dates and book a sesion.

Return To Learning Workshops 

The Ennis Regional Learning Centre has hosted a series of Return to Learning workshops from February to May 2009. We plan to run a further series of FREE seminars and workshops from September 2009. These are aimed at helping adult learners to access the information and skills they need if they are considering returning to third level education, or of going for the first time. Planned workshops include the following:

• Completing a CAO form as a mature student
• Turning Dreams into Reality
• Find the Course you Want
• Funding your studies as an Adult Learner