Invent DCU Licences Diversity Training Programme - 25^th November 2009

As the world becomes more and more culturally diverse, there is a clear and growing need for inter-cultural training to improve awareness and to enable people from different (cultural, religious, racial and linguistic) backgrounds to live and work together.

To address these challenges, Dublin City University has partnered with Channel Content, a leading Dublin-based learning and communications company, to create a novel and flexible multimedia-based training course.

Entitled “Managing Workplace Diversity” this unique video-based training programme has been organised into a series of self-contained modules.  Using this approach the material is tailored for different end users.  The courses can be delivered as a traditional DVD or as a web-based application for delivery to your computer at home or work, or your mobile device when on the go.

Launching this innovative video-based training programme at Dublin City University on Wednesday 25^th November, Minister for Lifelong Learning, Seán Haughey TD said: “Managing Workplace Diversity’ will greatly assist us further in our understanding of the many people from different cultures who have come to live and work in our country. Our capacity for innovation will draw on creativity and skills fostered by humanities and social sciences research as well as through the creative arts, science and technology. It is through the fusion of our strengths across all of these disciplines that we can develop and exploit our full innovation potential.  “Managing Workplace Diversity” is an excellent example of successful collaboration between our universities and the business community.

The original breakthrough research in intercultural training was created through DCU’s leadership of a collaborative pan-European project entitled the European Intercultural Workplace (EIW).  The programme addresses core diversity topics including food, religion, gender, body language, racism etc. Each topic identifies specific issues to focus on, using enacted workplace scenarios that suggest best practice.

Video presentation offers realistic portrayal and maximises viewer engagement. By enabling the videos to be watched online, on DVD or downloaded to mobile phones and iPods, access to the material extends to all age groups and learning preferences.

“Our collaboration with SALIS/DCU is a perfect digital publishing relationship. We capture the expertise of its team and repackage it for application in a practical, accessible way for the workplace”, says Dermot Rogers, Channel Content Chief Executive. “Using flexible video-based delivery is ideal for this type of material.”

The video topics are supported by tutor and learner guides, and online assessments. The programme uses a blended learning model so that it can be used in classroom settings or as distance learning and/or e-learning material.

“This is the Knowledge Economy in action,” states Richard Stokes CEO of Invent, the Technology Transfer Office at DCU.  “Matching the valuable research within DCU to a progressive local company like Channel Content is core to our mission.  This is a global market and it is great to think that an Irish company is well positioned for success.”

According to Dr. Aileen Pearson-Evans, Head of SALIS the School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies at DCU, “We have already received a huge amount of interest in this research. This new partnership between SALIS and Channel Content is exciting and timely - by making the product more user-friendly, it enables a much wider audience to use the material in different settings. It has been a great experience working with such a dynamic Irish company, which I hope will lead to further collaborations.”

For further information, please contact Paddy O’Boyle – Invent DCU

paddy.oboyle@invent.dcu.ie  01-7007003

Pictured above attending the launch held in Invent DCU on 25th November were: L to R Dermot Rogers - Channel Content, Minister Seán Haughey T.D., Dr. Aileen Pearson-Evans - SALIS DCU, Cllr. Rotimi Adebari – DCU, Richard Stokes - Invent DCU

More information on the parties involved:

Channel Content specialises in learning and communications solutions that maximise reach and impact with digital and social media. Its Learning Motion product is a library of hundreds of video-based business skills learning clips that enable workplace trainers deliver courses in classroom, online and on mobile devices.  This model also supports the Managing Diversity programme. Learning Motion and other custom services are offered to Channel Content clients in Ireland, UK, Australia and North America. http://www.channelcontent.com, http://www.learningmotion.com

Contact: Dermot@channelcontent.com 01-4498719

SALIS (School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies) at DCU offers a multilingual and multicultural environment in which to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Intercultural Studies, Comparative Literature, Language Studies and Translation Studies. It specialises in up-to-the minute language and translation teaching methods and technologies, and international and interdisciplinary research projects and collaborations. http://www.dcu.ie/salis

Contact: mary.hassett@dcu.ie 01-7005231

Invent is a state of the art Innovation and Enterprise Centre based at Dublin City University. Established in 2001, Invent’s mission is to transform knowledge into commercial success and to provide the critical link between the university and the marketplace. Invent supports and encourages the transformation of cutting edge research into innovative and commercially exploitable products and services.

http://www.dcu.ie/invent/   Contact maria.johnston@invent.dcu.ie 01-7007597