Two new short courses will be developed by Keele University for professionals who are looking to upskill in the fields of data, AI, and sustainable development, after the university secured funding from the Office for Students (OfS).

The funding is part of a £2 million package from the OfS, which has been shared among 22 universities and will support the development of two short courses aligned with the themes of STEM, Net Zero, and Digital Innovation. They also tie into the Stoke and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership priorities of advanced use of data technologies and low carbon transitions.

The courses are:

• Data and AI Ethics: From Principles to Practice (L4) in the School of Computing & Maths
• Sustainable Development: Achieving Net Zero (L6) in the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment

Both courses will be run predominantly online and will be targeted at employees looking to upskill or reskill in these areas as part of continuing professional development (CPD).

The Data and AI Ethics course, which will be delivered online over 16 weeks, will be supported by online and on-campus laboratory sessions. Teaching will focus on the practical applicability of data science, artificial intelligence and ethics to specific sectors of work. It aims to respond to the urgent national and regional skills gaps and employer needs.

The Sustainable Development module will introduce learners to Climate Change and interrogate the processes involved in the transition towards a net zero carbon future. The course will equip learners with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance sustainable practice, whether in an individual, business or civic context.

This module will draw on Keele’s sector-leading sustainability initiatives and will use existing material currently taught across the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment. It will be a fully online course designed to be accessed on point of demand, taking a maximum of 12 weeks, with an optional 10-credit module available to learners which will involve a 5-day residential masterclass based at Keele’s Living Lab.

Both modules will be available as stand-alone units for upskilling and as a dual package of related training in technology-enhanced sustainability, as well as being an element of a larger suite of CPD as part of the Keele Deal: Recovery project. They will be developed in partnership with regional employers, using real work scenarios, live briefs, case studies and challenges created by employer partners.

Rafe Hallett, Director of the Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence (KIITE) said: “Keele has a network of employers and civic organisations through its strategic initiative New Keele Deal, a catalyst for the University’s regional engagement, innovation, growth and upskilling.

“We will use the Keele Deal: Recovery network to maintain employer-engaged design, delivery and evaluation of these modules. Keele New Deal also gives us links to Staffordshire County Council, the Stoke-Staffs Local Enterprise Partnership and other civic bodies who will define regional skills needs.”