CETIS: The Center for Educational Technology Interoperability Standards (CETIS) is a national effort that:

• represents UK Higher and Further Education on international educational standards initiatives
• advises Universities and Colleges on the strategic, technical and pedagogic implications of educational technology standards, including the Further Education Managed Learning Environment Programme
• manages UK Implementation groups examining IMS specifications
• disseminates information on learning technology standards

CETIS is managed by CeLT at the University of Wales Bangor in partnership with the Open University. See http://www.cetis.ac.uk/static

SoURCE: This project aims to explore customization as a technique for increasing the extent to which educational software is used and re-used appropriately in higher education. It is also focusing on dissemination by investigating the feasibility of setting up a "National Library of Re-usable Educational Software" (RESL). A key element of the RESL strand is looking at metadata and interoperability issues. The prototype library was based on the EOE's Generic Object Economy architecture.

For additional information, see http://www.source.ac.uk/

University for Industry: In its Green Paper, The Learning Age, the UK government set out its vision of "a learning society in which everyone, from whatever background, routinely expects to learn and upgrade their skills throughout life." Backed by the UK government, the University for Industry (Ufi) was created to make that vision possible. With ambitious plans to bring learning and skills into people's lives, Ufi developed the learndirect service to change the face of learning for hundreds of thousands of people across the UK.

There are, as of January 2002, 1,763 learndirect e-learning learning centers across the country. The majority of these e-learning centers are operated by local and national organizations known as Ufi hubs. Over 600 organizations are working in partnership with Ufi as part of local, employer and sector-based hubs. Partners involved with Ufi hubs and operating learndirect centers are typically employers, business organizations, colleges, universities and private training providers, Learning and Skills Councils, local authorities, libraries, trades unions, and sports and community organizations.

Many learndirect courses are eligible for public funding from the FE and HE funding bodies, which means that the e-learning opportunities being opened up through learndirect are affordable as well as accessible. The Learning and Skills Council designated £145.5 million for the financial year 2002-03 to support learndirect learners in England. In Wales, approximately £1.7 million has been designated to support learndirect learning in the financial year 2002-03. The Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland has made up to £2.8 million available to support learndirect learning in Northern Ireland in the same period.

Ufi commissions its learndirect learning materials from Ufi qualified suppliers, which include organizations such as IBM, BBC, and Microsoft as well as colleges, universities and professional institutes. Ufi's suppliers are producers of high-quality open and distance learning materials, ranging from web, digital and multimedia products through to video, audio and traditional print.

See: http://www.learndirect.co.uk/

The Union Learning Fund: The Union Learning Fund (ULF) promotes activity by trade unions in support of the government's objective of creating a learning society, by influencing the increase in take up of learning in the workplace and boosting union's capacity as learning organizations.

2001/2 was the ULFs fourth year and 107 projects commenced. To date the ULF has supported 311 projects from over 66 unions, working in almost 3,000 workplaces. The projects have ranged from basic skills to continuing professional development. Several ULF projects have been held as examples of good practice - two projects were included in the European Social Partners Compendium of Best Practice, one project won a NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) award and one project won an award at Birmingham's Learning City in Europe 2001 event.

Union Learning Fund monies are used to open workplace learning centers, train Union Learning Representatives, run courses, and help people find learning opportunities to suit them.

See: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/index.htm

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