DUBLIN – University College Dublin (UCD) and OMO, an association of secondary schools in the Netherlands, this week launched a new collaboration to transform education. This collaboration will equip hundreds of educators with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to deliver transformative learning experiences for students in the 21st century.
The heart of this initiative is a series of bespoke innovation programs designed for educational changemakers from OMO, a network of 68 secondary schools founded in 1916 that educates over 61,000 students with the support of 6,800 staff.
In October, twenty OMO leaders participated in an intensive four-day Leadership in Innovation program at University College Dublin. This week, UCD facilitators are delivering the UCD Professional Certificate in Creativity and Innovation for Education to a cohort of OMO educators. The program will run over six months, with participants learning and collaborating across Ireland and the Netherlands.
“UCD Innovation Academy is proud to support educators around the world as they gain the confidence and skills to lead change for the benefit of their students, schools, communities, and countries," said Alan Morgan, Program Director of the UCD Professional Certificate in Creativity and Innovation for Education. "We are thrilled to partner with OMO and their exceptional team of changemakers and innovation champions. ”
This landmark collaboration between UCD and OMO represents a significant step forward in empowering educators to drive the evolution of 21st century learning.
To coincide with the roll out of the first UCD Professional Diploma class in the Netherlands this week, OMO also launched The Box Innovation Space at De Overlaat school. This innovative learning space will be used to inspire and help young student innovators in solving problems in their local community using design thinking. It will also be utilised to support and bring together innovative teachers to support the transition within education.
“The collaboration with UCD will help our organization to realize the necessary transition of our education. It is crucial to think outside the box and the UCD programme in Creativity and Innovation for Education will give our employees new tools in this’, said Edwin Verlangen, director of School group De Langstraat, one of the largest entities within OMO. ”
UCD Innovation Academy’s collaboration with the OMO in the Netherlands is part of the Academy’s international engagement in transforming education which also includes partnerships with Vietnam National University, Vietnam’s largest university, and collaboration in Malaysia, India and Central and Eastern Europe.