Policy context – reasons to review and enhance your provision

1. Policy context – reasons to review and enhance your provision Susan Hayday Director of Widening Participation, fdf

2. Policy context • Leitch • HEFCE Employer Engagement • Further Education and Training Act • HE in FE strategy • New HE Centres • Higher Education at Work

3. Leitch • Leitch review • By 2014 ?% of adults qualified to level 4 • Over ? % of 2020 working age population already over the age of 16 “Employers, working with their SSCs, should articulate their priorities for high level skills and influence the development of HE programmes to meet their needs.”

4. HEFCE Employer Engagement Strategy • HE contribution to workforce development / higher level skills • Doubling the capacity of the sector • Universities and colleges delivering courses much more flexibly • The state, the individual and the employer to share the cost of courses • 5,000 new places part-funded by employers by 2008-09 • At least 10,000 new entrants in 2009-10 and 20,000 in 2010-11. • Ring-fenced employer engagement stream £105 million from 2008 to 2011 dependent on co-funding from employers

5. Further Education and Training Act • Section 19 grants FE institutions in England the power to award Foundation degrees • QAA will advise on whether applicant institutions have met the conditions to gain the right to award Foundation degrees • Institutions must identify progression opportunities in advance – to higher level qualifications • Powers will be granted for ‘a probationary period’ of 6 years; awarding powers will be restricted to ‘persons enrolled at the institution’ • The Secretary of State will report back after 4 years

6. HE in FE Strategy HEFCE view of the role of HE delivered in FECs • A distinctive role for FECs with a focus on: • Higher level learning and skills • Engaging employers • The needs of local and regional communities • A high quality learning experience • Successful participation by all who can benefit

7. Diversity of College Size Based on HE Students Only (2004-05)

8. Diversity of HE in FE • Variation in volume of provision • Diversity of provision – mainly Fds, HNs, UG with some post-grad • Differences in mode – more PT than HE as a whole • Significant regional variation • Numbers pretty stable – directly funded is shrinking • The proportion of overall HE is shrinking

9. HE in FE Strategy • Outcome of 2006 policy review • A strategic approach to the management and co-ordination of HE in FECs • A strategy statement from each FEC 2008-09 • Pilot 2007-08, sample of 30 strategy documents • Centres for Higher Education Excellence in FECs, focused on the themes of employability and widening participation

10. HE in FE Strategy • To address • Mission and Aims • Regional local and where appropriate national priorities • Strategic management of HE • Academic standards and quality assurance • Effectiveness of academic staff and the HE student experience

11. New HE centres • Announced at Labour Spring Conference • £150m expansion of HE provision “be based or linked with existing providers” • a stand – alone HE centre typically within a local town or community • a university campus or centre, perhaps a joint venture project with the private sector which may apply in due course for degree awarding powers and a university title • more HE in FE and, in certain cases, even a new university itself • Places for some 10,000 students • Economic regeneration - role of RDAs and regional communities in determining the new campuses

12. Higher Education at Work • A “thinking workforce, thinking intelligently” • More, and more employable graduates • Raised skills and capacity for innovation of those already in the workforce • Requires a culture shift in providers and employers • Recognition of excellence in workforce development • Better match of supply with regional and local skills needs • Flexible, business facing offer

13. Susan Hayday Director of Widening Participation, fdf susan.hayday@fdf.ac.uk