NEWS & INSIGHT
REPRESENTING DISTANCE LEARNERS COUNTRY: UK SCHOOL: The Open University Business School, The Open University An area in education where it can be hard to see representation of different communities is in distance learning. Who are the people sat behind their laptops and computers for their entire degree? Distance learning may be a practical way for many to access qualifications but if those of minority backgrounds don’t know it’s an option for them, or it is not a choice commonly made in their communities, then this opportunity can easily be overlooked. The Open University wanted to demonstrate what its distance learners of minority origin look like. It partnered with Alamy, a stock imagery bank, to take pictures of four distance learners working in their homes. The four students featured include Candace from Cardiff (pictured below), who is studying for an online degree in business management and marketing. She has been working part-time as a customer service representative for Transport for Wales as well as undertaking an internship with a digital magazine, alongside her studies. ‘I’m of Caribbean heritage,’ she says. ‘In our community, we’re very focused on getting a job, especially in this climate where a job is not very certain, even with a degree. I think this campaign will help people realise you can do both… You can achieve your dream of higher education and your career ambitions.’ The photographs were taken by Inzajeano Latif, who believes that the campaign ‘showcases students from diverse backgrounds, in their own study spaces’ and is ‘a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of flexible learning for all’. ‘We feel that the stock images available to portray Black and Asian students are not authentic or relatable and don’t reflect the reality of their lives or of distance learning, and we want to change that,’ said Melissa Thermidor, Programme Director at The Open University. / EB
DOING GOOD WITH DATA COUNTRY: France SCHOOL: EDHEC Business School
The annual European Student Data Viz Challenge is now open for entries, offering students an opportunity to raise awareness of social or environmental issues by harnessing the power of data visualisation. Organised by EDHEC Business School (EDHEC), together with Tableau, Mazars and UNICEF, the challenge – launched in 2020 – runs on the belief that Business Schools are an important source of talent in the field of data analytics. Its aim is to encourage students to become more involved and skilled in the art of visualising data for the greater good. All entries must choose a topic linked to UNICEF missions and use the international NGO’s data to highlight and raise awareness of global issues. Previous entries have, for example, focused on the gender gap in education, tobacco use in children under 15, and inequality. The winning student will have the opportunity to interview for a data visualisation internship with UNICEF. ‘Data visualisation combines some of the most in-demand skills on the job market today such as critical thinking, creativity and communication,’ said Jessica Wheaton, Learning and Culture Manager at Mazars. ‘ The Data Viz Challenge provides a platform for students to develop these competencies, network, pitch and grow their employability. ‘As data literacy increases in importance, learning analytics and understanding how to best visualise data will help students stand out professionally, driving faster insights and informed decisions in their work and study,’ added Ashley Koen, Academic Programme Marketing Manager at Tableau. EDHEC’s Paris campus will host the challenge’s final in June, at which 10 finalists will pitch their entries to a judging panel. The closing date for receipt of initial entries is 1 May – for more information, visit the Student Data Viz Challenge website at www.edhec.edu/en/student-dataviz-challenge-2022. Students can now pre-register online. Every month, new content will be published on the web page, including a recorded webinar for students on ‘Getting started with data visualisation and the 2022 Student Data Viz Challenge’. In this webinar, a panel of experts from UNICEF, Mazars, Tableau, and EDHEC talk about the essentials of data visualisations and introduce the challenge. / TBD
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AMBITION | Be in Brilliant Company
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