Presseportal für Hochbegabung
The Prime
Minister of Mauritius, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, joined delegates from the
University of London for a special reception to celebrate the 150th anniversary
of the first ever overseas examination to be held – an examination which paved
the way for distance and flexible learning as we know it today.
The
reception was hosted yesterday (22 October) by the British High Commissioner,
Jonathan Drew MBE, and was also attended by Leela Devi Dookhun MP, the
Education Minister for Mauritius.
Speaking
at the celebratory event, Professor Sir Adrian Smith FRS, said: “Our
relationship with Mauritius exemplifies some of the University’s deeply felt
ideas about education.”
Sir
Adrian explained how CA Redl’s actions changed the face of higher education:
“CA Redl was determined to resolve the problem of finding a
reliable and prestigious examination for his students at the Royal
College, Mauritius, where he was Rector. It was this determination
that led to him corresponding with the University through Downing
Street in London. This correspondence ultimately resulted in the University of
London treating the Royal College the same as a UK provincial examination
centre, for both matriculation and the BA. This resulted in the first overseas
examinations being held in Mauritius in 1865, following the 19,328 round trip
from London to Mauritius”.
He added:
“What happened here 150 years ago, through the hard work and sheer determination
of one man, CA Redl, helped inaugurate a project to facilitate distance
learning that would drastically change the University of London’s ambition as
an institution, and would ultimately change the lives of millions of people
around the world”.
Today, the University of London International Programmes has 54,000 students in 180 countries studying from a suite of 100+ study programmes. Additionally, it has 922,000 learners enrolled on short courses (MOOCs) through the Coursera online platform, taking the International Programmes’ reach to just under a million worldwide.
Contacts:
Binda Rai,
Head of Corporate Affairs,
University of London International Programmes;
binda.rai@london.ac.uk
or +44 (0)7920 476483 or +44 (0)20 7862 8545
The University of London
- The
University of London was established in 1836 by Royal Charter and its 17
autonomous independent member Colleges, including the LSE, UCL and Kings
College, and the School of Advanced Study with its 10 Institutes and the
University of London International Programmes are all recognised globally,
in their own right, as world leaders in higher education.
- The
central University of London has responsibility for over 54,000
international students studying inter-collegiate programmes in over 180
countries.
- It is the
world’s oldest provider of academic awards through distance and flexible
learning, dating back to 1858, when the University of London was awarded
its Fourth Royal Charter. http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/
- Today,
students of the University of London International Programmes study from a
suite of 100+ academic programmes, with some taking the award through
self-study or through support from local teaching institutions.
- The
University of London International Programmes has 922,000 learners
enrolled on its short courses (MOOCs) through the US Coursera online
platform.
- Further
information about the University of London is available at http://www.london.ac.uk/ and the University
of London’s partnership with Coursera: http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/distance-flexible-learning/coursera/coursera-university-london-international-programmes