News from 2005      For news from previous years, go to 2004, 2003, 2002 & 2001

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ICS evolves

ICS in the United States, previously trading under the name Thomson Education Direct, has been rebranded and will trade in future as Penn Foster Career School. Its Canadian arm is reverting to ICS Canada.
(Penn Foster, 19 December 2005)

• Details from Press Notice

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Rhodec launches dEzine

Rhodec has launched a new online newsletter, called dEzine.
(Rhodec, 11 December 2005)

• Details from Rhodec

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EADL 2006 Conference - Preliminary Announcement

The 2006 EADL conference will be held in Paris, at La Maison des Polytechniciens, from 10-12 May.    The overall theme will be The Modern Mosaic of Distance Learning.
(EADL, 12 December 2005)

• Details from EADL

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EDEN 2006 Conference - Preliminary Announcement

The 2006 EDEN conference will be held in Vienna, from 14-17 June.    The theme will be E-competences for Life, Employment and Innovation.
(EDEN, 06 December 2005)

• Details from EDEN

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Kaplan buys Holborn College

Kaplan Inc, a major US educational company, has purchased Holborn College, for an undisclosed sum.    Holborn is a well known UK-based provider of face-to-face and distance learning courses in law and other business subjects. .
(Guardian 01 December 2005)

• Guardian Article

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New courses from Kevala

The Kevala Centre, specialists in professional complementary therapy training, have recently expanded their range of courses to include both general interest courses, including introductions to herbal studies, naturopathy, counselling, and nutrition, together with one course on massage as a gift, and another detoxification, as well as career enhancement programmes in life coaching and integrated health management.
(15 November 2005)

• Details from Kevala

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Plumbing Skills established

PGT Consultants, who provide IT courses under the trading name IT Skills, have now established a separate division offering Plumbing courses, and trading as Plumbing Skills.    Both IT Skills and Plumbing Skills are covered by ODL QC accreditation.
(22 November 2005)

• Details from ???

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Blade Training goes into liquidation

O'Hara & Co have confirmed that Blade Training went into receivership as of 8 November, 2005.
(15 November 2005)

• Details from Simon Weir

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RRC's Health & Safety Business Newsletter, Autumn 2005

The Autumn edition of RRC's Health & Safety Business Newsletter has now been published.
(RRC 2 November 2005)

• Health & Safety Business

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Excellence in Distance Learning Awards

The Commonwealth of Learning has called for submissions for its Excellence in Distance Learning Awards 2005-6.    The closing date is 31 March 2006
(CoL 26 October 2005)

• Details from www.col.org/edea/

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House of Lords ruling on VAT published

The House of Lords has now published its ruling on the issue of VAT on distance learning courses.
A summary is also available in the relevant Business Brief from HM Revenue & Customs.
(20 October 2005)

• House of Lords judgment
• HMRC Business Brief 20/2005

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Google Advertising

In response to concerns from a number of providers, ODL QC has issued a new "Good Practice Guide" on the use of competitor's names as AdWords in Google searches.
(ODL QC, 27 July 2005)

• Guidance document (Word)

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Unless explicitly stated, ODL QC cannot confirm the validity of any story on the news pages.    We are reporting stories from elsewhere, in good faith, as a service to those interested in distance learning.