Can researchers and policy makers speak to each other or are they always looking the other way?

1. Can researchers and policy makers speak to each other or are they always looking the other way? Jim Gallacher Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning Glasgow Caledonian University

2. Researchers and policy makers • The role of the researcher • A critical friend • Analysis • Evaluation • Civil servants are intermediaries • They work within agenda and timescales established by politicians • They want to know • ‘what works?’ • How can they make it work better? • Sometimes possible to provide answers of this kind – in other cases the complexity makes this impossible

3. Experience at the research/policy interface • Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning (CRLL) - joint Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and University of Stirling research centre • Co-director 1999-2008 • Scottish Parliament Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee (ELLC) • Adviser to Lifelong Learning Inquiry 2001-02 • Scottish Funding Council (SFC) • Board member 2005-10 • City of Glasgow College (CoGC) 2010 – • Board member 2010-

4. Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning (CRLL) 1999-2008 • 24 research projects – a wide range of issues in field of post compulsory education and training • Funders: Scottish Govt/Scottish Exec; ESRC; Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA); Quality Assurance Agency (QAA); Nuffield; Higher Education Academy (HEA); EU; Scottish Funding Council (SFC) • Some issues emerging from this work: • With some projects easier to provide evaluation and recommendations for change – ‘how to make it work better’ • Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) • Modern Apprenticeships • Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) • Importance of clear conclusions and recommendations • In others the complexity of the problem, and the interests involved, make it difficult to recommend changes which are easy to implement eg widening access to HE • Recognize that change may be slow and be prepared for the long haul when this is possible

5. The long haul – case study • HNC/Ds and Articulation • Programme of work beginning with first article in 2002 and ongoing • HNC/Ds based in colleges an increasingly important aspect of HE in Scotland - around 20% of undergraduate students • SFC policy Articulation for ALL (2007) and establishment of Articulation Hubs • Potential conflict between the origins of HNs as vocational qualifications and the role which many now have as ‘transitional’ qualifications • HN Tracking Study 2009-11 (Ingram & Gallacher 2011) established that around 60% of full-time HN students progress to further study, and around 70% in subjects such as Business Studies & Computing • Making the Transition (2013) investigated the experiences of HN students in university and the problems they faced in transition • Work with colleagues in SQA, SFC, Scottish Government and the colleges and universities to address the challenges in making this work better.

6. CRLL: Dissemination strategy and programme • 20+ Forums for Lifelong Learning • One day events attended by 30-100 participants on key policy issues in lifelong learning • Designed to draw people from the research, policy and practice communities • Participants included politicians, civil servants, staff from institutions, and agencies • Report produced from each Forum • 30+ seminars –shorter events, but also emphasis on bringing together policy and practice communities with researchers • 5 international conferences – around 200 participants from across the world • Programme of 6 residential seminars on the future of HE in UK • Funding from Scottish Govt, UK Govt, SFC and HEFCE • International speakers and wide range of participants • Value of good administrative infrastructure

7. CRLL: Establishing strong links with policy community • Advisory Committee – wide range of stakeholder groups represented –independent external chair • Encourage active engagement through Forums, conferences etc

8. Scottish Parliament – Lifelong Learning Inquiry 2001-02 • One of 4 advisers to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee (ELLC) of the Scottish Parliament for its Lifelong Learning Inquiry • Report published 2002 • Opportunity to work closely with MSPs let to a recognition of the complexity of the issues • Final report recognized that initial definition of lifelong learning ‘placed too much emphasis on the economic aspect of lifelong learning’ and agreed to seek ‘a broader definition encompassing the cultural, civic, individual and social inclusion aspects of lifelong learning’ • Led to recognition of the need to address issues related to: • Economy • Social Justice • Citizenship • Quality • And a ‘philosophy of entitlement’

9. Scottish Funding Council for Further and Higher Education (SFC) 2005-10 • Member of Board of SFC 2005-10 • Chair of Learning and Teaching Forum 2005-08 • Chair of Access and inclusion Committee (AIC) 2008-10 • Responsible for further and higher education in Scotland- budget of approx £1.6billion • Decision making in this context always reflects the need to balance different agendas – governmental, institutional, sectoral, • Role of Chair of AIC increased awareness of difficulties in making real change – limited impact on widening access issues • Value of research which provides clear evidence, eg initiative to widen access to professions drew on research on contextual admissions

10. City of Glasgow College (CoGC) 2010- • Member of Board of Management of CoGC 2010 - • Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee (LTC) 2010 - • CoGC established through a merger of three Glasgow colleges • This foreshadowed a national programme of mergers and regionalisation affecting all Scottish colleges • A £200 million new campus is now being built – provides opportunities for curriculum restructuring, and new approaches to learning and teaching • Position as Chair of LTC provides an opportunity to be involved in developing new approaches to curriculum development and learning and teaching • This also provides the opportunity to bring together earlier and continuing work in research and policy

11. Build trust and understanding between the policy and research communities • Relationships between researchers and policy makers are complex and will vary depending on the issues • Value in working at establishing the conditions for fruitful dialogue • Sometimes we can tell them ‘what works’ and ‘how to make it work better’ • In these cases ensure that conclusions and recommendations are clearly outlined • In other cases the complexity makes this difficult • Policy agendas themselves are often complex and lack consistency • Dissemination strategies are important • Be prepared to tell policy makers things they don’t want to hear – but try to be careful about how this is done!