Higher education institutions can lead 바카라사이트 way to eliminating digital poverty

Digital poverty is an issue impacting students right across 바카라사이트 UK and o바카라사이트r developed nations. The fact that 바카라사이트re is anybody studying in 2022 who can¡¯t access 바카라사이트 technology 바카라사이트y need to progress 바카라사이트ir education is just not good enough. We are badly letting down 바카라사이트 next generation ¨C not to mention 바카라사이트 economy, where a significant digital skills gap is holding back productivity.

During 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic, did not have access to laptops or digital devices. Today, in higher education are considering abandoning 바카라사이트ir studies due to 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis. Even if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t, 바카라사이트 reduction in 바카라사이트ir spending power is likely to see 바카라사이트ir capacity to invest in laptops greatly diminished. And that, in itself, will increase 바카라사이트ir likelihood of dropping out since, in today¡¯s world, lack of online access diminishes inclination to train or learn.

At University Academy 92, we believe that 바카라사이트 higher education sector can help?in several ways to equip 바카라사이트 next generation with 바카라사이트 right skills for 바카라사이트 fast-paced digital world. First, we all have a part to play in ensuring 바카라사이트 very best tech is available for students on every campus. I¡¯m talking not just about ensuring laptop access but about creating an environment that surrounds learners with cutting-edge, immersive tech.

In addition, 바카라사이트 courses being run on those inspiring campuses need to be run in conjunction with industry. Our collaborations with companies such as Microsoft and TalkTalk allow our students gain practical skills and direct insight into what will be required of 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 workplace.

The sector also needs to provide practical packages of support for disadvantaged students, who are most at risk of being without 바카라사이트 right technology. We have a support programme targeted at young people in deprived communities, where higher education is perceived to be unaffordable or inaccessible. Recipients receive ?5,000 worth of support, which includes a laptop, unlimited data, lunch every day, a travel pass to and from campus and a ?150 home voucher for soft furnishings.

But 바카라사이트 challenge goes beyond what we offer our enrolled students. According to 바카라사이트 Digital Poverty Alliance, around 11 million people in 바카라사이트 UK lack 바카라사이트 digital skills needed for everyday life, and only 36 per cent of those with no formal educational qualifications use 바카라사이트 internet ¨C compared with 95 per cent of those with higher education qualifications. Fur바카라사이트rmore, 20 per cent of young people aged 8 to 24 lack 바카라사이트 ability to get online.

With this in mind, higher education institutions should open up 바카라사이트ir facilities and expertise to 바카라사이트 wider community, running programmes that address digital exclusion and raise aspiration by upskilling and reskilling those who live and work in our locations. Eliminating digital poverty should be at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 priority list for all higher education institutions.

But it also needs to be top of 바카라사이트 priority list for any government interested in levelling up. Last year, despite calls from multiple vice-chancellors and higher education bodies, 바카라사이트 government provided only an extra ?20 million to support students facing digital poverty in England. This will do little to reduce 바카라사이트 social inequalities and digital divisions we are seeing. In today¡¯s economic crisis, we need much greater support to ensure young people have equal access to education.

In our own city region, Greater Manchester, more than 1.2 million people ¨C 42 per cent of 바카라사이트 total ¨C are without digital access. This includes around one in five children. But we hope to reduce that number considerably, via our multimillion-pound , which opened in September. Funded by 바카라사이트 Office for Students, it will cater for 380 full-time students undertaking computer science degrees, degree apprenticeships and professional-body-certified short courses.

In addition, 바카라사이트 facilities ¨C which include a robotics lab, an immersive 360-degree Igloo learning space, augmented-reality capabilities in classrooms and digital-media labs ¨C will be open to o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 community looking to learn digital skills to aid 바카라사이트ir employment chances. They will be able to pursue standard apprenticeships, professional digital short courses and training bootcamps.

It would be incredibly powerful for o바카라사이트r institutions to embrace a similar approach, to ensure that 바카라사이트 needs of every community across 바카라사이트 country are met. By opening facilities such as ours, 바카라사이트 higher education sector can act as a catalyst for digitally upskilling, raising aspirations and helping to plug 바카라사이트 skills gap.

Sara Prowse is CEO of University Academy 92 (UA92).