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HE in FE Northern Ireland. Elisabeth Lillie. University of Ulster Campuses. FE in Northern Ireland. Re-organisation: six new regional colleges Belfast Metropolitan College North West Regional College Northern Regional College South Eastern Regional College South West College
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HE in FENorthern Ireland Elisabeth Lillie
FE in Northern Ireland Re-organisation: six new regional colleges • Belfast Metropolitan College • North West Regional College • Northern Regional College • South Eastern Regional College • South West College • Southern Regional College
Other NI Providers:UU • CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and rural Enterprise) • Beeches Management Centre • Homefirst Community Trust • Westcare Business Services • Police Service of Northern Ireland • Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust
Department for Employment and Learning Responsible for FE and HE Allocates Funding Undertakes inspections and quality control in FE (ETI Education and Training Inspectorate) Sets policy and strategy for FE
Oversight • Authorisation to run HE courses in FE must be obtained from DEL • Levels of work (Certificate of HE and Intermediate/Diploma: years one and two HE) • University to shed intermediate level awards unless cannot be taught in Colleges (ie mainly HND level)
Funding • Numbers (HE MaSN for FT students: not PT or PG) • Funding for students goes to the Colleges (not the University) • Students belong to College not University • Award comes from University
Strategy and developmental focus FE means Business • Vocational development to support economic development • Foundation Degrees (progression and top-up) • Future of HND/ HNC qualification • Other areas? • AB (Associate Bachelor’s) degree?
University role Types of provision • Validated • Franchised • Work with College or groups of Colleges (Networks) BUT • Provision of year three (hons degree level) is university’s responsibility (outcentre) (college staff sometimes teach it)
Approval/ Revalidation • Initial approval • Institutional approval (now separate) • Approval to proceed to course planning • Course submission • Evaluation event • Revalidation
University-College interactionUU • Formerly assessor per course • Now Faculty Head of Collaborative Courses (FHCC) • Faculties decide how many (range form one to three) • FHCC advised as necessary by subject expert • FHCC Forum: share good practice, discuss problems, standardize procedures
Monitoring Annual Course Review • College self-evaluation report (re-alignment of form to reduce bureaucracy: ongoing consultation with Colleges) • FHCC Annual Course Report • External Examiner Report(s) • University monitoring group (sub-group TLC plus FHCC representatives) • Themed audits
Funding • Government funding goes to Colleges • UU licence fee • Yearly fee per student to cover administration costs • Colleges responsible for resource provision (library, IT etc) • College students cannot access our provision
Staff Development (UU) • Colleges have staff development policies • Recent staff development activity considered at evaluation / revalidation • College staff may attend University staff development activities • FHCCs may offer training in partner institutions as appropriate and within their competence
Staff developmentUniversity initiatives • Annual Away Day for Course Directors in partner institutions with key theme: presentations available on web • Annual open meeting FHCC Forum attended by College representatives • Specific training (chairing examination boards)
Staff Development Faculty initiatives • College staff invited to appropriate Faculty activities • Events with subject focus (eg Counselling; Nursing) • Event facilitated by HEA Subject Centre (Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism)
Other support • Web site • Email list system: information posting, communication and feedback • Handbooks • Templates (eg SSCC and CC minutes) • Training for Course Representatives offered
Enhancement: Workshops conferences on specific issues • Workshop: DEL; Colleges, UU and UK College: (FDTL project on Student progression and transfer) • Conference on Foundation degree development: Colleges; stakeholders (Sector Skills Development Agency; Foundation Degree Forward, DEL, other NI university providers)
Enhancement: mutual understanding: ETI • 2 FHCC’s attended staff development event for new ETI Associate Assessors • FHCC participated in feedback meeting to a follow-up inspection in a College • ETI rep attended FHCC Forum meeting • ETI rep attended validation event (Fd) • ETI rep at 1 Annual Course Review sub-group • ETI staff attended a CD development day for Course Directors in partner institutions in October 2005
Enhancement: system and strategy • Senior managers: Colleges, UU, and DEL (as appropriate) • Leadership Foundation Change Academy 2006: UU initiative: achieve better co-operation between UU and FE sector. Six new College Directors plus UU representatives; DEL observer status • DEL Working Group Foundation Degrees
Issues: Funding • Funding: who should receive it? (NI Colleges receive DEL funding) • Is funding adequate? • Cost of collaborative provision
General issues: progression • Top up to degree after College study: 2+1; 2+1 and bridging course; 2+2 (some Eng institutions offer 2+1) • Who does Hons degree top-up: college or uni staff – some NI Colleges offering programmes from Eng institutions
General issues: systems and approaches • Understanding of HE imperatives by FE (time; research; administrative allowance) • Resources: Library • Teaching approaches: level, training for independence • Context: student atmosphere • College Priorities • University and College systems: distance; risk
General issues: Policy and Strategy • National policy vs regional situations: does the national strategy always work in the regions? • What type of HE can FE best provide? • Should HE in FE be wholly vocational? • Role of full-time vs part-time • What sort of HE students should FE target?
Issues for Discussion Delivering HE in FE • Staff loading • Preparation time • Administrative allowance • Teaching approaches: level and delivery • General setting and student context • Resources • Role of e-learning • Funding models: is funding adequate?
Issues for discussionPolicy and Courses • What type of HE is best suited to FE: should it be wholly vocational? • What is the role of full-time vs part-time delivery? • What sort of HE students should FE target? • Validated or franchised provision? • Does national policy always fit with regional imperatives and experience? • Who is in charge? College, University, Government Dept?
Issues for discussionProgression What is best progression model? • 2+1 • 2+summer bridging+1 • 2+2 Other views? Should College staff deliver honours level?
Issues for DiscussionUniversity HE Interface Interaction: which models work, which don’t? • Advice and support • Monitoring (Too many masters? Over-inspection? Constructive input?) • Approval and revalidation Aspects of partnership: Views of one another • Equality? • Critical Friend? • Complementarity and mutual learning?