PRESTON College students can talk to their colleagues across the globe by video link-up thanks to a cash boost from British Telecom.

BT has given the college's sport, leisure and tourism department £23,000 to set up hi-tec video conferencing and multi-media facilities and link them to the Internet.

Students can now access a whole range of up-to-date information sources from all over the world. The video link-up will also allow them to speak directly to colleagues at other centres.

Head of department Geoff Snailham explained how the state-of-the-art media facilities were helping the students with their studies.

He said "They are using the Internet to research topics for assignments. For example one pupil doing a project on the effects of using mental imagery in learning a skill, linked on to the Net and found a lot of information about sports psychology."

And he went on: "The travel industry is launching on to the Net in a big way. You can get information on the weather, flights, hotels and facilities available in different places within seconds.

"Students doing the NVQ in travel services will find the Net extremely useful for their future work."

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