Up to 250 free places are being created by the Open University (OU) for people wishing to take their first steps into higher education.
Three new courses, known as Access modules, are available to anyone living in Northern Ireland.
They provide an entry route into OU study and introduce numerous wide-ranging subjects.
The modules are designed to build learners' confidence and equip them with all the necessary study skills to progress successfully towards a qualification. Replacing the former Openings courses, the new Access modules will allow students to make more informed choices about what they may go on to study.
Available now to register, the courses begin in October and comprise: * arts and languages access module; * people, work and society access module; * science, technology and maths access module. "At The Open University, we believe it doesn't matter where students start from, it's where they want to be and how committed they are to getting there that counts," said John D'Arcy, National Director of OU in Northern Ireland. "Accessibility for those who want to learn is priority at the OU, and these courses offer a way to help people refresh and develop skills, and to enable them to enter into university study, especially those who have felt excluded before." Employment and learning minister Dr Stephen Farry said his department remained committed to ensuring ease of access to higher education by all who could benefit from it. "The Open University has a long history of providing alternative routes into higher education and this initiative is fully in line with Access to Success, my department's regional strategy for widening participation in higher education," he said.
For further information visit www.open.ac.uk/courses/ do-it/access