The National Open College Network (NOCN), formerly known as the Open College Network (OCN), is a United Kingdom organisation developed to recognise informal learning achieved by adults.
The National Open College Network (NOCN), formerly known as the Open College Network (OCN), is a United Kingdom organisation developed to recognise informal learning achieved by adults.
The first organisation of this type was created in 1981 in Manchester: the Manchester Open College Federation. [1] Later as more organisations formed across the UK, the term Open College Network was adopted, each distinguished by its home geographical area.
By 2000, there were 31 OCNs that worked in collaboration with NOCN (National Open College Network) that had been setup in 1991 as a formal membership organisation for the regional OCN's. [1] In 2005, the 31 OCNs were merged to form 11 larger OCNs (nine in England, one in Wales - now Agored Cymru - and one in Northern Ireland) with NOCN acting as an advocate with government. [1]
The OCNs were the first accreditation bodies to use credit as the basis of the award system. Credit was established as the common currency for all OCNs and consistent definitions of four levels of achievement were established. The OCNs continue to offer credit-bearing courses and work-based learning programs, in various centres including schools, colleges, voluntary organisations, community centres, trades unions, prisons, training providers, and employers. [1]
The OCNs in England and Wales are all Access Validating Agencies recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education [2] (QAA) for award of Access to Higher Education diplomas. [3]
In 2010/2011 all of the OCNs also became Awarding Organisations recognised by Ofqual. [4] Some have adopted new, replacement names including Open Awards, [5] Aim Awards, [6] Apt Awards [7] and Laser Learning Awards. [8] Others, including OCN London, [9] Open College Network West Midlands (previously OCNWMR), [10] OCNER, [11] OCNYHR, [12] have retained their historic OCN title in their names.
In 2008, the Welsh OCN, Agored Cymru, ceased to be members of NOCN and in 2013 the majority of English OCNs decided not to renew their agreement with NOCN who had legally changed their company name from the National Open College Network. [1]
In 2017, NOCN acquired CSkills from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), becoming one of the largest UK construction Awarding Organisations. [13] The current NOCN Group also includes the organisations NOCN India Skills Foundation, NOCN Job Cards, CPCS, and NOCN Cymru. [14]
The City and Guilds of London Institute is an educational organisation in the United Kingdom. Founded on 11 November 1878 by the City of London and 16 livery companies – to develop a national system of technical education, the Institute has been operating under Royal Charter (RC117), granted by Queen Victoria, since 1900. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, was appointed the first President of the Institute.
The University of Wolverhampton is a public university located on four campuses across the West Midlands, Shropshire and Staffordshire in England. The roots of the university lie in the Wolverhampton Tradesmen's and Mechanics' Institute founded in 1827 and the 19th-century growth of the Wolverhampton Free Library (1870), which developed technical, scientific, commercial and general classes. This merged in 1969 with the Municipal School of Art, originally founded in 1851, to form the Wolverhampton Polytechnic.
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) is the independent body that checks on standards and quality in UK higher education. It conducts quality assessment reviews, develops reference points and guidance for providers, and conducts or commissions research on relevant issues.
CELTA is an initial teacher training qualification for teaching English as a second or foreign language. It is provided by Cambridge Assessment English through authorised Cambridge English Teaching Qualification centres and can be taken either full-time or part-time. CELTA was developed to be suitable both for those interested in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and for Teaching English to the Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The full name of the course was originally the Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults and is still referred to in this way by some course providers. However, in 2011 the qualification title was amended on the Ofqual register to the Cambridge English Level 5 Certificate In Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) in order to reflect that the wider range of students that teachers might have, including younger learners.
Cardiff Metropolitan University, formerly University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), Prifysgol Athrofâu Cymru, Caerdydd (PACC) is a university located in the city of Cardiff.
A national qualifications framework is a formal system describing qualifications. 47 countries participating in the Bologna Process are committed to producing a national qualifications framework. Other countries not part of this process also have national qualifications frameworks.
The BIMM Institute is a group of eight independent colleges with over 7,000 students that specialise in the provision of creative education in Brighton, Bristol, Dublin, Birmingham, Manchester, Berlin, Hamburg and London.
Doncaster College and University Centre is a further and higher education college based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It is an operating division of the DN Colleges Group.
The London School of Business and Finance is a private business school in the United Kingdom, owned by the for-profit education corporate group Global University Systems. It was founded in 2003 by the entrepreneur Aaron Etingen. By 2015 it had become one of England's largest private colleges.
UK Youth is a national youth work charity founded in 1911 that delivers national programmes to provide opportunities to young people. The charity is an umbrella body with 40 local youth associations from across England. UK Youth's national programmes are delivered locally in partnership with its members, and many are supported by corporate partners.
Ascentis is a national qualification-awarding body based in Lancaster in the North West of England. It was formerly called the Open College of the North West, or OCNW.
The Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT), formerly known as the Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET), is the quality assurance and membership body for the professional dance, drama and musical theatre industries in the United Kingdom. CDMT was founded in 1979.
The Confederation of Tourism & Hospitality (CTH) is a specialist awarding organisation, offering vocational qualifications for the hospitality, culinary and tourism industries, worldwide.
Open Awards is a national Awarding Body and Access Validating Agency with headquarters in Liverpool. They are regulated by Ofqual and are an Access Validating Agency. They create and award educational and vocational qualifications from Entry Level to Level 4 (education), as well as Access to Higher Education Diplomas. They also offer unregulated units.
NCFE is an Awarding Organisation and registered educational charity that is nationally recognised by the qualification regulators for each country of the United Kingdom. NCFE is regulated by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator in England, the Welsh Government in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in Northern Ireland.
The national qualification frameworks in the United Kingdom are qualifications frameworks that define and link the levels and credit values of different qualifications.
OCN London is a UK national not for profit awarding body organisation that creates and awards qualifications. OCN London stands for Open College Network London Region, however it is popularly known as 'OCN London' in the UK. The awarding body collaborates in partnership with educators, training providers, charities and employers. They have been assisting numerous private and public organisations for over 25 years. The organisation focuses practical academic needs for non traditional learners and paves their way to higher education in the UK.
Hove College is a private not for profit further education provider in Brighton and Hove, UK which offers training in multimedia, business and design studies.
London School of Management Education is a for-profit private Higher education in the United Kingdom. LSME was founded in 2007 by Dr Ravi Kumar and Dr Sarita Parhi. It is currently listed as an alternative Higher Education provider (AP). The School offers diplomas, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Business Management, Teacher Training, Health and Social Care and Hospitality and Tourism. To support the UK government's effort to bridge the widening gap of educationally and economically deprived children and young people and also young people with special needs and those in the category of Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET), LSME has an ambitious Access and Participation Plan, which is approved by the Office for Students. LSME has students who are from 35 nationalities enrolled across its Diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All degrees are awarded by external institutions.