The University of the West of England (also known as UWE Bristol, or simply UWE) is a public university located in and around the city of Bristol, United Kingdom. The present institution received university status in 1992, though alongside the University of Bristol and the University of Bath, it first started as the Merchant Venturers Navigation School in 1595 and Technical College in 1894. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 96% of UWE Bristol graduates are in work or further study 6 months after graduating, with 78% working in professional roles.
In August 1999, the Minister of Education, Malaysia, invited Multimedia Technology Enhancement Operations Sdn Bhd (METEOR), a consortium of 11 public universities in the country, to set up an open university. This led to the establishment of OUM in August 2000 followed by its launch on 26 August 2002 by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad. With the motto "University for All", OUM believes in the democratisation of education, giving everyone a chance at self-actualisation and fulfilling their potential.
Villa College offers several PADI certifications ranging from open water diving to dive master training. The Villa College diving facilities established in the Knowledge Village Campus in Sun Island Resort and Spa are amongst the best in the country. The diving facilities and programmes have international appeal and hence students from Europe are regularly enrolled on these programmes.