We are proud to announce the launch of the New Mobile App for York St John University. The launch follows the recent announcement by RKC of its another mobile app for the University of Cumbria.
The mobile app enables us to connect better and easier with prospective students. The Mobile App is a comprehensive tool developed to provide important information at your fingertips. This includes the programmes offered, module description, fees, duration and FAQs. And for an application submitted through the App, the application fee is waived! This user-friendly App is available to download on both Android and iOS devices.
Check out official York St John University website to find out more details about the mobile app.
Welcome Readers to the concluding part of the two-part blog on Women in Higher Education. It has been an intriguing first part; unveiling the history of education for women from medieval times, victorian era and revolutionising and challenging the political, cultural and intellectual state of affairs through the Women’s Liberation Movement. It’s even more interesting to see how far forward Women’s education has come to till date and what ensues in the future!
Equal Education, Equal Job Opportunities and Equal Pay: The Women’s Liberation Movement bought with it tremendous upheavals for women not only in the area of jobs and education; however it was instrumental in eradicating discrimination against women in walks of daily life like financing a mortgage or provision of goods and services. And when Sex Discrimination Act came into force in 1972, it led to ban of discrimination against women on the grounds of sex and marital status. Many universities that were single-sex only became co-educational institutions. Universities no longer could deny admission to women and prefer a male counterpart. Women got equal job opportunities and continued to work after marriages and becoming a mother as well.
Source:LSE Library
21st Century – The Way Forward : Its been nearly five decades since the implementation of Sex Discrimination Act and the world now saw women’s education in entirely new light. The changing nature of work is swiftly making today’s education systems, labour policy and social contracts outdated. As a result, the path to a good life is increasingly difficult to identify and attain for many people. According to the World Economic Forum, there is a 32% gender gap, when you take into account health, education, economic participation and political attainment. Traditional tools, policies and structures are insufficient to address these challenges. Progress requires new data, new narratives, new dialogue, new tools, new behaviour and new collaboration.
Long standing advocates of women empowerment are endorsing equal respect and opportunities and also establishing the urgency of this task. This comes in the light of the realisation that women’s education is not only critical for women themselves, but has massive economic repercussions as well. The world economies are expanding and women are increasingly playing a crucial role in the development. For example, raising women’s labour force participation to that of men can boost GDP, for example, by as much as 9% in Japan and 27% in India. IMF research has uncovered myriad other macroeconomic benefits: reducing gender gaps in employment, as well as in education, can help economies diversify their exports; appointing more women onto banking supervision boards can challenge cozy group-thinking, thereby supporting greater bank stability and financial sector resilience; and tackling gender inequality can reduce income inequality, which, in turn, can drive more sustainable growth. Its hard to believe but even in the 21st century there are almost 90% countries that have one or more gender-based legal restrictions! These range from not being able to buying a property, to a husband having right to deny and restrict their wives from working. Helping women stay active in the workplace while raising a family is the key. In countries like Norway, for instance, affordable childcare and parental leave schemes have made it possible for both mothers and fathers to work. It is imperative that investing in women is investing in the future. As Prime Minister of Norway and Head of IMF rightly quote, “Time is up for discrimination and abuse against women. The time has come for women to thrive.”
This is an exciting time for us at Robert Kennedy College! We envision and strive to provide world class Masters Education and exceptional student service. We like to be connected to our prospective students and give you all information you need to know about your Master’s programme, at your fingertips!
So, quite literally, we got everything at your fingertips and are happy to announce the launch of the new Mobile App for University of Cumbria. This user friendly App is available to download on both Android and iOS devices.
The Mobile App is a comprehensive tool giving you all information you could ask for; from courses offered, fees, duration, FAQs, and you can Apply through the App as well. You cannot wish for a simpler and quicker life than this!
Dear Readers, I am going to present this blog as a two part series. This week, in Part 1, I reflect and reminisce through the long history of women’s education. In the impending blog, we will explore how the history unfolded and revolutionised in the 21st century of Online Learning.
I feel blessed and grateful to my parents who stressed upon the importance of education and always encouraged me to attain higher levels of education. As a young girl, primary education came but naturally to me. Equal opportunities and maybe better than my brother, were provided to ensure I receive quality formal and university education. But this has not always been the case back in the history of women’s education. As a woman, today I feel grateful to those who fought for, liberalised movement and demanded rights rather than asking for concessions.
Medieval, Early Modern Period and Georgian time : There were not many educational opportunities back in the medieval times. The education was mainly the responsibility of the Church or the families themselves. Girls were usually not the part of education system run by monks and nuns unless the girls wanted to become nuns themselves. Family system though seem to include girls, however only so they could lead their households successfully in future. Early modern period saw some freedom by consequence of education. The Georgian time resiled back to limited scope and avenues for women’s education. It was the time when despite increasing literacy rates and supporting movements like bluestocking movement; the concept of ‘separate spheres’ began gaining momentum. It meant segregating roles of men and women, with men incharge of the outside work world and women responsible for family upbringing and household.
The Victorian era: With the advent of Industrial Age, increasing number of men went seeking mechanical, trades and techinical education. There was n increasing pressure from women as well around the time to provide them equal opportunities and avenues of education. New educational institutions, founded by influential women, sprung up like Cheltenham Ladies’ College in 1853, and Roedean School in 1885. Also establishment of Education Act in 1880, laid the foundation of compulsory and free primary education. Not only did formal education advanced, women got free reign in University Education in Victorian era. In 1878, University of London became first university in the UK to award degrees to women.
Source: London.ac.uk
The Women’s Liberation Movement: The women’s liberation movement (WLM) was a political alignment of women and feminist intellectualism that emerged in the late 1960s and continued into the 1980s primarily in the industrialized nations of the Western world, which affected great change (political, intellectual, cultural) throughout the world. Women’s Liberation Movement as a whole was much aided by the opportunities offered to a post-war generation of girls who had been able to get into the grammar school system, and the opportunities offered to them at these schools. The Women’s Liberation Movement held a series of conferences around the country to demand equal pay, equal educational and job opportunities, and legal and financial independence from men, among other things.
You must have been looking all over the internet to find a suitable University to pursue your Online Masters. There are several factors you would consider while choosing a University (check out our blog: Choosing the right University). The fact that you are reading this blog is that you either have decided to join Robert Kennedy College (RKC), or are looking for more information. It is natural to be intrigued and yearning to learn more about the University of Cumbria and Robert Kennedy College offering the Masters programmes and understand the partnership between them. This blog is a one-stop shop for all your questions.
The University of Cumbria has a long history behind its existence. It was formed in 2007 by the merger of St Martin’s College, Cumbria Institute of the Arts and University of Central Lancashire’s Cumbria sites, operating from campuses spread across Cumbria and North Lancashire. It may be a relatively new university, but is steeped in history dating right the way back to 1822. The University is continuing to grow, expanding in geographical terms as well as academic scope. The University focuses on to enrich students so that they can realise their potential and achieve life-changing outcomes. UoC has come along way since 2007 and has achieved laurels in various fields; which ranks it as one of sought-after universities.
New Vision: Confidence and consistency; the words that Geoff Donnelly uses throughout his first interview as chairman of the board of the University of Cumbria. The Chairman says, “My task is to ensure we continue to have the leadership and strategy necessary to achieve our goals. He added: “We’re still a new organisation but recent achievements such as 35th in the WhatUni sector rankings, graduate employment results which place us in the top half of the sector, coupled with contracts with Rolls Royce and the growing reputation of our Project Academy demonstrate both our progress and our ambition.
Excelling in Women Representation in Business: In 2009, UoC was one of the eight organisations in the northwest to be awarded the Women’s Business Centre Quality Standard.
Creating International Partnerships: The university welcomes students from Robert Kennedy College, who it partnered with for their MBA Awards in 2010.
IFLAS: UoC in 2012 launched an Innovative Institute for Leadership and Sustainability (IFLAS) at Ambleside Campus.
Award Winning University: The University received two Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards; Outstanding Student Services Team and Outstanding Finance Team in 2014.
UoC hosts 2018 UN World Investment Forum: The Institute for Leadership and Sustainability (IFLAS), based at the university’s Ambleside campus, gathered experts to discuss the underlying technology that powers cryptocurrencies such as bitcoins known as blockchain.
MoU with Chinese Government: “The Chinese Government clearly sees the modernisation and the creation of Chinese internationally credible vocational education system as fundamental to the success of the Belt and Road initiative,” Prof Gale said. “We signed fourteen Memoranda of Understanding – a clear indication of the value of the trip and a sense that the Chinese really want to do business with the University of Cumbria.” Forestry was the prime area where University found favour.
University receives power to Award Research Degrees: In March 2019, The University of Cumbria has been awarded Research Degree Awarding Powers (RDAP), which will allow it to grant research degrees such as doctorates for the first time since the university’s formation in 2007. This achievement comes after more than 18 months of rigorous and in-depth assessment by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Last but definitely not the least; Campus within a National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site: The University has campuses in Carlisle, Ambleside, and Lancaster and a specialist centre in London. At Ambleside Campus, nestled in the heart of the Lake District, you get to witness 912-square mile picturesque patchwork – with more than 150 high peaks and 16 lakes. Visit the campus for the One week Compulsory residency or for your Graduation Ceremony.#Ambleside is one of the favourite places to start a walk, according to data from the Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey . https://bbc.in/2TK8UWs
Its the famous saying that ” A man is known by the company it keeps”. Same is true for the University you affiliate yourself with, for the highest level education. This blog gives you the insight of the history, present and future of the University. The University of Cumbria is fully recognised by the British Government and duly listed on the United Kingdom’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills list of recognised UK awarding institutions.
Still have questions? Talk to our academic advisors today!
When you are in school or university, you always dream of that dream job that you would like to do after graduation. You earn the crucial academic qualification and gain the necessary knowledge to embark on the professional journey of your life. You may be a fresher or a seasoned professional exploring the job market and may wonder what the employers look for when they are hiring. The hiring process has several layers to it than you as potential applicant can see on the surface. The Job Ad merely states the job description and the key requirements – qualification, experience and skills, required for the job. These are used to for the initial screening and shortlisting. Once shortlisted, when you end up at the interview, the hiring process reaches a different level all together. The employer evaluates you and your personality and whether you are a perfect fit for the job and the company.
In the recent times it is observed that the employers are giving growing importance to ‘soft skills’; equal if not more to the academic skills and experience relevant to the job. It may therefore make more sense to hone and develop these skills to qualify as that ‘perfect’ candidate for the position:
Know what you want from your career
The employer are really interested to know what you plan for your career, what do you want and how keen you are to work towards it.
Have Vision
All interviewers ask this question – Tell us something about yourself. This is your chance to narrate your life story, how you envisioned it and what you did so far to make it vision your reality.
Self-Starter and Independent
This is a huge requirement of an employer for any position! They want to employ a pro-active individual who does not require constant supervision and hand holding; but rather is one step ahead in their work.
Sociable and Team builder
It is highly critical for an employer to hire an individual who is a great a team player. None of the organization department work in isolation; and there is interdependence and co-existence within departments as well. The success of any organization depends on how well knit the teams work.
Motivated
An ideal hire would be motivated and driven. They should have high personal and professional goals and propelled to achieve them. This will in turn ensure firm’s success and reach its goals.
Assume Responsibility
Employers love to take those applicants onboard who they find have assumed responsibility of tasks, at work, outside or home and took on to complete it responsibly. Own the task or situation you are in.
In my last blog, I talked about Entrepreneurship in modern times. It encompassed the various factors that led to the rise of entrepreneurship and why being your own boss is rather beneficial than working for someone else. However that made me thinking, what really makes a good entrepreneur? Having being said that the economic, political and social environment are pro-entrepreneurship and new businesses, not everyone is doing it. And not everyone who tried it, tasted success. There could be many reasons for the failure – wrong product, not the right market, not enough marketing, competition etc. But if I narrow it down to the Entrepreneur themselves – would be right to say – success/failure really pivoted upon the entrepreneur’s Attitude. Failure is actually a learning curve for any individual or organization. As Thomas Edison rightly quote, “ I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”. This is where ‘Attitude’ comes into play. An entrepreneur with the right attitude never gives up! Most successful entrepreneurs, including James Dyson, Walt Disney, Vera Wang and Steve Jobs, failed several times before winning big. Steve Jobs was even fired from Apple in 1985! Steve Jobs said, “ Don’t Let the noise of other’s opinion drown out your own inner voice”.
This holds true for the employees’ of the organization as well. Attitude Or Aptitude? Which is a more crucial trait in an individual; this has been a debate amongst employers, businessmen, financiers and entrepreneurs equally. However if recruiter or entrepreneur has to choose one, they would choose the person with the right attitude every time.
This approach is backed up by studies which have shown that our 80 percent of our success is based on our EQ, compared to 20 percent for our IQ. This means that aptitude only accounts for a paltry 20 percent of our success. It has become a famous recruitment phrase – “Hire for Attitude, Train for Skills” – It is easier to train aptitude than attitude. While attitude is positive / negative / indifferent feeling towards a person, object, event or idea; aptitude is a competency to do certain kind of work. One can always develop, learn or harness their skills or ability to do things. It is really hard to change someone’s attitude, that one develops over years, with factors such as family, upbringing, peers, prejudices, media, social, educational, religious and physical factors, influencing attitude.
Also, it’s easier to overcome obstacles with the right attitude. Any business or organisation constantly faces new challenges and in such difficult times, its only people with right attitude, determination and resilience can envision and direct the company out of the corporate mess.
Always remember, Your Attitude not your Aptitude, will determine Your Altitude!
Last decade has changed the business world manifold. Lot of factors contributed to the rapid growth of entrepreneurs. Financial crisis of 2007-2008 played a very important role in this sudden and rapid development. The recession brought with it changes that many took as blessing in disguise. Many talented employees (future entepreneurs) were laid off who started looking for new opportunities. The real estate went to all time low. The costs to do business, machinery, equipment, land, office rentals went down. That created an affordability for small businesses to thrive. At the same time the internet and technological advancement were reaching new heights, propelling the growth of businesses. A new era of starting low cost internet-based businesses began. Businesses had all the resources on their finger tips and indefinite reach of internet, as a powerful tool, meant they could expand globally in short span of time. An entrepreneur, is defined as a person who organises and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so. Many experienced professionals turned towards entrepreneurship to get rid of the rat-race. The newer and younger generation, was soon attracted to this new trend of entrepreneurship. They witnessed the success of other entrepreneurs and opportunity that the new tech-savvy, social media based audience had to offer.
RKC Alumni and MeetVibe founders – Mircea Baldean and Carol Aebi, joined by co-founder Gabriel Paun (left) at Web Summit 2017
Not only the business environment and circumstances were congenial to entrepreneurship, but the new generation was looking for more satisfied and meaningful careers. Managers, who wanted to manage their own business, work on innovative ideas, earn profits for themselves and have a better work- life balance. The business world has seen entrepreneurs emerge in all walks of life, showcasing that rags-to-rich is not a dream far-fetched. Entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates in technology, to Oprah Winfrey and J. K Rowling in entertainment industry, to Jack Ma, co-founder of world’s largest e-commerce business; set new influence and inspire millions of people towards entrepreneurship, where you are your own Boss. There are several advantages of owning and running your own enterprise:
Innovation: Bring your unique ideas on the table and set a new niche in the business world.
Decision Making : As an entrepreneur you are responsible for decision making for all aspects of business.
Profits: You are driven towards profits for the growth of your enterprise and also potential higher returns for your hard work to yourself.
Work- Life balance: While establishing a business on your own can be a daunting process, it can eventually smooth out and you can enjoy more free time to yourself for personal development or furthering business.
Business is your own asset: The entity you develop is your own estate, an asset that can be further inherited by your family. As an entrepreneur you not only build your own future, but your whole family’s.
We offer several entrepreneurship programmes, that will help shape your career and start your entrepreneurial journey. We offer Online MBA Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Download the catalogue to find more details about the programme.
In the last blog, we looked into the admission and qualification requirements for a successful application. Now we continue to explore, how you would fit into the university’s criteria of a suitable Master’s applicant. Another important aspect of your application is the ‘personal statement’. The universities attach increasing importance to the personal statement for shortlisting and finally selecting suitable candidates for their programmes.
Often the personal statements make or break your application’s success. A well written statement can secure admission or lead to denial. Therefore, you must pay utmost attention and thoughtfully draft your statement. Here are some pointers to help you write an ‘admission winning’ statement:
It’s in the name – Statement of ‘Purpose’ – Present a convincing statement, about your purpose and intent for applying to the selected programme at the University. The statement should clearly indicate that not only you are eligible to enrol and but will also prove to be a valuable contributor to the programme. Keep clear focus.
Tailor the statement specific to the University – As in a job interview, candidates are asked why they would like to work with the company; similarly you must include in your statement of purpose, the reasons for choosing the University and applying to it and how the university is a right fit for you.
Simplicity is the best policy – Whilst you may feel pressing need to include jargons, sophisticated vocabulary words to impress the reader with your language skills. However a simplistic and straightforward statement, works the best.
4. Include only relevant accomplishments – Do not include your accomplishments spanning from junior high school to undergraduate level. Highlight only those achievements that sync in with your interests and aligns well with your ambitions.
5. Quote..Unquote! – I would advise, stay clear from quotes. You may feel tempted to include a famous saying. It adds, practically, no value to your statement.
6. Watch the length – You don’t want your statement to sound like a drag. Always keep in mind, the admission committee has limited time, to read through and evaluate hundreds of application. Aim for a short and precise statement.
7. Be Yourself – The more the statement describes your actual self and intent, the better, The reader is interested to know your vision and ambition and not the idealistic statements. Stand out from the crowd with a powerful statement.
8. Last but most important – Proofread your document! – The statement of purpose represents You and it can be nothing short of Perfection! On the statement you are judged not only on your writing abilities but also on how serious efforts you have put in your statements. There is no scope of any grammatical or factual errors or misspellings.
As a former education advisor, this is one of the most frequently asked questions, I heard from potential applicants: ‘what is the admission criteria of the University’; ‘do I qualify to apply for the programme?’; ‘what is required in the statement of purpose?’. So, here are answers to all your questions. I aim to write this blog as a two part series; the first part, unravelling the admission and qualification requirements. And the second part would focus on what an ‘ideal statement of purpose’ should include.
Reflection session
As a student, I am sure you all do your homework well in researching about the University you would like to apply for the Masters’. You would like to enrol with a University that is accredited, offers wide choice of courses of your interest, competitive fees, great student support, an excellent alumni network; in short the best university according to your requirements. Similarly, University also looks for the best talent; students that can academically outshine and cope the challenging pace of Online Masters; their potential contribution to the programme and the fellow students. While no one factor can be a sole deciding factor, however all the aspects put together constitutes a successful application. Therefore, you can impress the admission officers with one, all or a mix of these following aspects:
Academic excellence: This is the basic, first and foremost factor that all the universities would look at. Your previous qualification forms a basis for your Master’s degree and to a great extent an admission criteria. Many universities consider this as an elimination factor, to select the qualifying applicants. For RKC Online Programmes, minimum qualification is an honours degree at 2:2 or above. **
The chosen subject – Your interest and passion towards the course: You must demonstrate your background in line to the chose Masters subject and your passion towards it that goes above and beyond what is required in the classroom. Perseverance is the key quality that that will get the attention of the admission committee.
Work Experience: The Online Masters’ with its flexibility has become increasingly accessible to the working professionals. The working professionals bring a lot of real life experience on the table and enrich the programme value with their contributions. Hence, the number of years of experience of your resume will have a positive impact on your application. RKC has a minimum requirement of 2 years of work experience.
RKC Alumni and MeetVibe founders – Mircea Baldean and Carol Aebi, joined by co-founder Gabriel Paun (left) at Web Summit 2017
Ability to think, work independently and time management: While the Online programme offers flexibility and ease to study from anywhere in the world; it can be quite challenging to manage the study, assignments, work life and personal life. It could be quite a juggle. The university expects you, as a Masters student, to be able to efficiently manage the requirements of the programme.
References: References are an important part of your application process. A reference could be your academic or professional references. Though professional (most recent) are considered to be the most favourable. A reference can tell a lot about the applicant : maturity, character, leadership, self-confidence, warmth of personality, concern for others, and grace under pressure.
Ability to work in groups: Ability to teamwork is important as well. Most of the course through RKC is conducted online with independent assignments to be submitted online itself. Some part of the modules taught in residency week require group discussions and assignments to be submitted on the basis of such group work. This ability will be reflected in your previous qualification or work experience (as team player or manager) or extra curricular activities.
English Language Ability: Since the course is fully taught in English, you will be evaluated for your English language skills, through various aspects – how well your resume is penned; formulation of the statement of purpose; verbal communication skills evaluated by education advisor. For admission with RKC, minimum requirement is: English language at IELTS 6.5 (minimum of 5.5 in each component). (This requirement could be waived, depending your previous qualification or experience in English speaking work environment- reference required –speak to our education advisor today for more information).
Statement of Purpose: SOPs have increasingly become one of the most important deciding factors when evaluating an admission application. Its the summary of your past achievements and an insight of how motivated are you going forward. (more details on the next blog.. watch this space :))
Now that you have the insiders view of the application requirements, do not delay any further! Apply for your online Masters’ MBA and LLM and Online MSc programmes today and get started for the next intake.
**Applications are considered from candidates who do not meet the formal entry requirements but can provide evidence of equivalence. Examples of equivalence are:
A wide range of professional qualifications and/or work experience.
Working or studying in English or an English-speaking environment.
Applications will be considered from candidates who do not meet the formal entry requirements but who can demonstrate by interview the commitment to complete the programme successfully.
5. Quote..Unquote! – I would advise, stay clear from quotes. You may feel tempted to include a famous saying. It adds, practically, no value to your statement.
