SECOND CHANCE FOR ARMCHAIR EXPLORERS TO BE INSPIRED BY SIR WALTER SCOTT’S LEGACY

Armchair explorers from the Borders and beyond can enjoy the re-run of a free online course exploring the life, work and legacy of one of Scotland's greatest literary figures, Sir Walter Scott.

The course, Walter Scott: The Man Behind the Monument, is running again this month ( Monday March 23) after attracting thousands of participants from across the globe when it was first staged in October last year.

Starting on Monday 23rd March, Walter Scott: The Man Behind the Monument is a four-week Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), hosted by digital education platform FutureLearn. It is being offered by Abbotsford, the author’s home in the Scottish Borders, in conjunction with experts at the University of Aberdeen.

The MOOC was first run in October 2019 for 2,382 participants from 99 countries, with a number of learners describing the experience as one of the best online courses they had ever completed.

Professor Ali Lumsden, Director of the University’s Walter Scott Research Centre and Honorary Librarian at Abbotsford, will deliver a series of video-based modules as part of the course, along with Kirsty Archer-Thompson, Collections and Interpretation Manager at Abbotsford. The course has specifically been designed for beginners and there is no prior knowledge of the subject required.

Kirsty said: “We are delighted to be delivering this free online course again, which is available to anyone who may be interested in Scott and his legacy, wherever you are in the world

“The first outing of the course was one of the most enjoyable and uplifting things I have ever had the pleasure of doing and I am really looking forward to supporting our next group of learners. The Futurelearn course platform is easy to use and offers opportunities for discovery and dialogue across international borders, all in the comfort of your own home. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see more of Abbotsford and the kind of work that goes on here behind the scenes.

“The Scottish Borders is at the very heart of Scott’s legacy, and I would love for local people to join us online for just an hour or two every week to discover more about one of this region’s most celebrated figures.”

The course officially gets underway on Monday March 23rd. See our event page for further details and registration.