Cegos UK, part of Europe's largest training and development company, announced the launch of its new blended learning solution, Global Learning by Cegos.

In addition, Cegos has also launched e-learning solutions by Cegos – a catalogue of over 250 online training modules, many of which will be included in its blended learning solutions or provided as standalone learning tools. There will be 24 separate Global Learning by Cegos programmes available in 2009 and a further 20 available in 2010.

The launch comes at a time when there is a growing demand for blended learning. Recent Learning and Development surveys by the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found 95% of respondents agreeing that e-learning is more effective when combined with other forms of learning.

Global Learning by Cegos is a fully integrated, supported and blended training solution, which combines the latest skills-based, face-to-face learning techniques with relevant and interactive online training modules. Global Learning by Cegos provides self assessment opportunities across the learning activity to help individuals track their knowledge and skills developments.

The entire blended programme can be deployed internationally, is available in seven different languages, and can be tailored to a specific organisation, grounding the learning in the reality of the business challenges the learners face on a day-to-day basis. The new Cegos format now means that organisations have the ability to roll out training quickly and simultaneously to multiple teams in multiple locations without the usual incremental costs of redeveloping, translating, and localising the learning activities.

Additional benefits to the customer of Global Learning by Cegos include improved employee productivity as the blending of learning activities means less time away from one's desk and greater flexibility in the ability to learn at one's own pace. It will also help to maximise learning and development budgets while ensuring the activity is appropriate, relevant and personalised to the learner.

Said Jeremy Blain, Joint Managing Director of Cegos UK: 'Too often in the past, e-learning has been technology rather than people-led with unsupported learners overwhelmed by both the technology and the lack of a clear focus to their training.'

'Global Learning by Cegos takes the fear away from blended learning by providing a completely integrated and focused solution, where the learning goal and the learner are at the heart of all activities and where face-to-face tutoring aligns completely and seamlessly with bite-sized online training. The pre and post skills assessment also allows the learners to track their own progress.'

Recent research has found a growing demand for supported blended learning. A pan-European survey, published by Cegos in June 2008, found that 51% of UK corporate employees currently take part in blended learning programmes and 55% in e-learning.

Jeremy Blain added: 'Ours and the CIPD's figures back up our belief that the time is right for e-learning to take the next step into a fully blended, flexible learning architecture.'

The Global Learning by Cegos package is made up of a combination of self-assessment, face-to-face training, and e-learning sessions. The integrated nature of the blended learning means that all parts of the learning path link to one another, taking the learner on an extended and flexible journey to skills development.

A typical Global Learning by Cegos programme will consist of two days of face-to-face training, five e-learning modules with a comprehensive self-assessment of knowledge and skills, prior to and following the learning activities.

The integrated blended event is managed by a convenient online training management platform (Learning Management System) which Cegos provides to each organisation and individual. Alternatively the same elements can sit on a client's own LMS easily, as Cegos has ensured its solution is entirely flexible to suit the customer.

Programmes cover a range of management and leader development interventions, team leadership, leading change, networking, purchasing, high performance selling, negotiation, customer relationships and more.