Digital Skills Global

Digital Skills Global, formerly Digital Skills Academy was a provider of higher education programs and courses for working professionals. The Academy offered a range of programs including online international BSc Degrees, Professional Certificates and Short Courses. Many of these courses were funded as part of the Irish Government's "Springboard" initiative, for certain groups of long-term unemployed.

Digital Skills Global
Former names
Digital Skills Academy
Active2008–2020
Location
Dublin
,
Ireland
CEOPaul Dunne
Websitedigitalskillsglobal.com

Digital Skills Global entered liquidation in January 2020. A meeting of creditors took place on January 27, 2020.[1]

History

Educator and entrepreneur Paul Dunne founded Digital Skills Academy in 2008.[2] In 2011, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) and Digital Skills Academy signed an agreement to develop and deliver new digital skills training programs, commencing with WebElevate.[3] Subsequent programs included WebInnovate,[4] WebActivate[5] and TechElevate.[6]

In October 2015, Digital Skills Academy launched its online BSc Honours Degree in Digital Technology Design and Innovation[7] and the online BSc Degree in Digital Technology and Design followed in March 2016. Data Science[8] and Digital Marketing stream specializations were added to the online BSc Honours Degree in Digital Technology Design and Innovation program in April 2017.

DIT degrees are no longer available through Digital Skills Global and the affiliation between DIT and Digital Skills Global no longer exists.

The Academy launched its Professional Diploma in Digital Innovation in May 2017.[9] In October 2017, The Academy launched an extensive portfolio of Online Short Courses (initially 25) in digital technology, digital business, design, and innovation.[10]

In October 2018, Boston College Global Leadership Institute, in collaboration with Digital Skills Global, launched a range of industry-aligned Professional Certificates in Digital Skills in fields including digital business, digital marketing, data science and coding.

Digital Skills Academy re-branded to Digital Skills Global in November 2018.

Location

Digital Skills Global headquarters was located in the Digital Hub, Dublin, Ireland. The Academy also had wall-plate only offices in New York, United States, Johannesburg, South Africa[11] and London, United Kingdom.

Certification

The certificates for the Digital Skills Global Professional Certificates in Digital Skills were awarded by Boston College Global Leadership Institut.

Accreditation

The degree programs that Digital Skills Global delivered in the past were accredited by Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). Digital Skills Global no longer provide DIT degrees and are no longer accredited by DIT. DIT participates as a full member of the European University Association (EUA) and the International Association of Universities (IAU). Officially, its never been explained why DIT withdrew their course accreditation, however anecdotal evidence from former DSA students supported long-term rumours re substandard levels of (out of date) course content, poor quality delivery, and bizarrely a non-disclosure agreement, that wasn't just protecting the IP of the third-party companies, that students would be working on projects for. It also appeared that DSA were in effect offering the students as free labour, while DSA were being paid.

DSA also had students sign NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) that also covered discussing any elements connected with the operations of DSA, and their courses, to any other outside organisation. Considering this was just a training course organisation, this raised many issues about why exactly students were signing NDAs that went way beyond more than just covering the course projects third party Intellectual Property.

Industry partners

When they were offered in the past, Digital Skills Global's degree programs necessitated significant industry engagement as part of the participant learning experience. All participants were required to work on industry-assigned projects,[12] which can include apps for mobile and IoT devices, website services, software development, prototype development, digital marketing campaigns, solutions design and process design. Digital Skills Global Industry Partners includes KPMG,[13] Cisco,[14] Bank of Ireland,[15] BT,[16] Oracle,[17] Standard Bank,[18] EY[19] and MTN.[20] These partnerships were in relation to study projects, for the duration of the study projects only, and do not represent comprehensive, broad-based commercial partnerships.

References
  1. "Digital Skills Global Liquidation". Business Barometer. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  2. "The digital agenda". Business & Finance. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  3. silicon (2 August 2011). "DIT and Digital Skills Academy form partnership - Careers | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  4. "Digital Skills Academy Sows the Seeds of Success for Digital Entrepreneurs! – Irish Tech News". irishtechnews.ie. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  5. Doyle, Carmel (6 February 2013). "WebActivate digital skills training programme launches to upskill job seekers - Careers | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  6. "Prodigy Learning | News & Events | Launch of TechElevate with MTA". www.prodigylearning.com. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  7. Academy, Digital Skills. "Digital Skills Academy Launches World's First Online Degree in Integrated Digital Technology, Business and Design". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  8. Darmody, Jenny (11 July 2017). "6 online data science courses to launch your career". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  9. Academy, Digital Skills. "Don't Look Abroad for Skilled Employees; Upskill Existing Staff - Digital Skills Academy". www.prnewswire.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  10. Academy, Digital Skills. "Digital Skills Academy Answers Industry's Call for Improved Digital Training". www.prnewswire.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  11. "Online degree in integrated digital technology, business and design - EE Publishers". EE Publishers. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  12. "Let digital skills give your career its global edge". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  13. "Digital skills academy to address IT skills shortfall in South Africa | IT News Africa – Africa's Technology News Leader". www.itnewsafrica.com. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  14. Reporter, Creamer Media. "Cisco provides 'project-based challenges' for participants in skills training with Digital Skills Academy". Engineering News. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  15. Kennedy, John (1 May 2018). "Digital Skills Academy powers Bank of Ireland's move into AR, VR and voice". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  16. "BT Today : Praise for students' technology talents". www.btplc.com. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  17. "Second round of web training for jobseekers set to begin". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  18. "Digital Skills Academy expands with South African contracts". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  19. Kennedy, John (23 September 2013). "Job-seekers show they can bring traditional industries into the digital age - Portfolio | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  20. "MTN Group to fast-track digital development | IT News Africa – Africa's Technology News Leader". www.itnewsafrica.com. Retrieved 23 October 2017.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.