Army wins a virtual victory

Stuart Brown, an analyst programmer in the Army, this week became one of the UK's first online foundation degree graduates.

Sergeant Brown chose Bournemouth University's business and management foundation degree course because it meant he would not have to leave his desk.

"I leave the Army in two and a half years, and I wanted something to springboard me into civilian street," he said.

"Being a web-based application, I could do it on my desktop whenever I had a flat moment in the office."

He has never met any of his personal tutors, but said he did not feel stranded in cyberspace because Bournemouth University was just down the road.

Sergeant Brown is planning to top up his course to a full honours degree, again studying entirely online, starting in September.

"After that, my dream job would be basking on a Sunseeker yacht - but being a project manager for IT projects would also be great," he says.

Bournemouth launched EBAM - the electronic foundation degree in business and management - three years ago in partnership with Leeds Metropolitan University.

Five people graduated this year, but there are now more than 100 people enrolled on the virtual course, which is designed to allow participants to work at their own pace. The Army is one of its principal clients.

Students on the course have studied from as far away as Afghanistan and Vietnam, and from as near as the Dorset coast.