Course History

This page details the history of the course from conception to the most recent events.

2019 (April) Virginia von Malachowski (Chair since 1995) and Gerard Swan (Course Director) retire from the project

2018 (October) Deafblind UK rejoin the consortium

2018 (October) Tranche 9 complete their second year of studies

2017 (December) Tranche 8 complete their second year of studies, the final Board of Examiners meeting takes place and the relationship with the Open University comes to an end

2017 (October) Tranche 9 continue into year two of their studies.

2017 (October) Tranche 9 complete their first year of studies.

2016 (October) Tranche 9 begin their studies.

2016 (July) Tranche 8 (a and b combined) continue into year two of their studies.

2016 (April) The Board of Partners begin to work with the new credit rating partner FutureQuals.

2016 (March) Tranche 7 complete their second year of studies

2015 (August) A second ‘live’ delivery of the Deafblind Studies programme (Tranche 8b) due to high demand following the May cohort commencing their studies

2015 (May) An online pilot of the Diploma Year (Tranche 7a and 7b combined) is launched

2015 (May) The first ‘live’ delivery of the Deafblind Studies programme (Tranche 8a) begins marking the arrival of a range of learning opportunities without the constraints imposed by the face to face delivery

2015 (March) Tranches 7a and 7b complete their first year

2014 (May) An online pilot (Tranche 7b) of the Certificate Year is launched

2014 (May) Tranche 7a begin their studies – a Certificate only year delivered in Glasgow with a range of assessed and non-assessed buy-in options

2014 (January) Award ceremony in London for Tranche six students

2013 (September) Tranche 6 complete their studies

2011 (September) Tranche 6 students begin their studies

2011 (September) Tranche 5 complete their studies

2010 (October) Award ceremonies in Glasgow and Birmingham for Tranche Four students

2010 (July) Trial delivery of DSI1 and Communication 1 modular taught content in Perth, Australia in partnership with Senses Foundation

2009 (September) Tranche 5 students begin their studies

2009 (June) Achieve credit rating with the Open University

2009 (April and May) Award ceremonies in Glasgow and Peterborough for Tranche 3 students

2009 (March) The Woodford Foundation funds two bursary places for Tranche 5

2007 (September) 30 Tranche 4 students begin their studies

2007 (July and August) Award ceremonies in Glasgow and Peterborough for Tranche 2 students

2007 (May) SSSC recognise qualifications on phase one and two registers for social care sector workers in Scotland

2007 (May) First Board of Examiners meets and makes recommendations to the University of Birmingham

2007 (March) The Woodford Foundation awards development grant to make course more widely available

2007 (March) The Woodford Foundation funds two bursary places for Tranche 4

2006 (July) SQA credit rate and level the course giving it academic values in Scotland

2006 (June) Board of Partners signs three year collaborative partnership agreement with the University of Birmingham

2006 (April) The first live delivery (Tranche 3) of the course begins at two centres – one in Scotland and one in England

2006 (March) Tranche 2 complete their studies

2004 (December) Tranche 1 Award Ceremonies in Glasgow and Peterborough

2004 (August) Tranche 1 complete their studies

2004 (April) Second Pilot Phase – Tranche 2 students begin their studies

2004 (April) The University of Birmingham validate the ‘Certificate’ and the ‘Diploma’ in Deafblind Studies

2003 (April) Department of Health Funding Secured – developments gain momentum and reach critical mass

2002 (September) First Pilot Phase – Tranche 1 students begin their studies

2002 (January) Partners meet to make ‘Deafblind Studies’ a reality

2002 (January) Project Coordinator (later the Course Director) – Gerard Swan – appointed

1995 (approx) The project is born