Barra campus
Convenience and modern technology meet in the Barra Learning Centre.
The well equipped, welcoming facility offers a wide range of post-school educational opportunities to the community of Barra & Vatersay. The building is conveniently located in Castlebay's developing business hub area.
Our hi-tech connections and equipment facilitate a spectrum of course choice from across the Highlands and Islands via the UHI Outer Hebrides and UHI network. In addition, the needs, expertise and interests of our island population drive many of our local courses. Although our population is relatively small, we work to accommodate a wide variety of learning opportunities as flexibly as possible.
The Centre is part of the eduroam network, a world-wide roaming access service that allows students from other Colleges and Universities to access our facilities for study purposes.
Over the winter months the Barra Centre along with the Barra and Vatersay ‘Learning for Fun’ group provide a range of leisure classes and short courses. Classes rely on the availability of local skilled residents willing to be tutors. Courses last from 6 – 20 hours and are run subject to demand and interest. Examples include:
- Art
- Pottery
- Genealogy
- Spanish
- SpeakGaelic
- Sewing
- Line Dancing
- Yoga
- ECDL modules
Remote students enjoy courses delivered from tutors elsewhere in the UHI network via the UHI Virtual Learning Environment, Brightspace. Brightspace connects you with everything you need to study, giving you access to your online learning materials, including course assignments. You’ll also be able to communicate with your tutors and fellow students through the online discussion boards, forums and live chat. Our world-class video conferencing facilities will ensure you enjoy the same top-quality studying experience as every other UHI student. Students on Barra and Vatersay recently studied subjects such as:
- HNC Social Science
- BA Childhood Practice
- BA Gaelic Scotland
- PGDE (Teaching)
- BA Child and Youth Studies
- MA Rural Development
- Advanced Nurse Practitioners
- Leading and Managing Care Services
- Web Design
- Access to Christian Theology
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- SVQ level 2 Social Care
- SVQ level 3 Social Care
Facilities
Barra Learning Centre is equipped with everything you’ll need to make a success of your studies in a quiet environment. You’ll benefit from:
- Internet-ready PC's for learning
- Printing
- Video conferencing
- A quiet space to study away from home and distractions
- Room hire facility for meetings and visiting trainers, etc.
If you are interested in embarking on Further or Higher Education and do not see your subject listed, please enquire at the Centre. We will do our best to assist. Everyone is welcome to get in touch and make a course enquiry.
Monica Macleod or Mary Ann Ferguson
UHI Outer Hebrides - Barra
Castlebay
Isle of Barra
Outer Hebrides
HS9 5XD
t: +44 (0) 1851 770600
e: barraLC@uhi.ac.uk
Location
The islands of Barra and Vatersay are the most southerly inhabited islands in the Outer Hebrides.
Barra Learning Centre is located in Castlebay, Barra’s main village. As the name suggests, Castlebay features a castle in its waters. Named Kisimul Castle, the fortress was the ancestral home of Clan MacNeil and is open to the public.
Beyond the bay is the Isle of Vatersay, the southernmost and westernmost inhabited island in the Outer Hebrides. Vatersay is connected to Barra via a causeway - and it’s well worth a trip!
Travel
The iconic scene of a plane landing on a beach is a familiar sight on Barra. Regular flights run to Barra Airport from Glasgow via Loganair.
Barra can be reached via car and passenger ferry from Eriskay and Oban. More details about ferry timetables can be found by going to the Caledonian MacBrayne website.
Information on Barra bus times can be found here.
Local links
The local authority covering the Outer Hebrides is Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and their website contains large amounts of information on the local area and services.
Visit Hebrides has a large amount of information pertaining to the Outer Hebrides and is well worth a visit.