UfI pockets Pounds 84m for autumn launch

The government gave its lifelong learning flagship, the University for Industry, a fair wind last week with an Pounds 84 million budget for its autumn launch.

Higher education minister Baroness Blackstone announced that the government would earmark Pounds 74 million for the UfI for 2000-01 and a further Pounds 10 million for its "learndirect" information and advice service.

The UfI has just begun its next development phase, with the creation of 178 learndirect centres to test the delivery of 200 online courses through the learndirect website, which has now gone live.

The website is delivering the UfI's multimedia careers package, "learndirect futures", which profiles more than 700 jobs and has diagnostic tools that people can use at work to decide which careers suit them best.

Lord Dearing, addressing an e-learning breakfast attended by more than 100 business leaders, said: "The launch of the learndirect website is a milestone for the UfI. We are testing nationwide delivery of our first UfI-endorsed learning materials and are well on the way to delivering easy-access, flexible online learning for businesses and individuals."

The learndirect development centres are being operated by the first 56 UfI hubs, local partnerships of colleges, universities, local authorities, trade unions, companies and business and community organisations.