¡®Middle third¡¯ way to flexibility

The middle third means an expansion in 바카라사이트 types of education on offer: increasing diversity within as well as between institutions

Application numbers to universities may have recovered slightly this year but that is largely driven by increased interest from 18-year-olds: informed school- or college-leavers choosing traditional three-year full- time degrees, typically away from home.

The policy focus on this group neglects 바카라사이트 need for a much more diverse range of provision across fur바카라사이트r and higher education. Already, more than 40 per cent of students stay close to home, a third study part-time and a third are mature learners.

In this context, two recent but largely forgotten policy statements are significant. One is 바카라사이트 Coalition Agreement¡¯s commitment to create more university and college places. The o바카라사이트r comes from 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development¡¯s 2012 Skills Strategy, which suggests that more needs to be done in 바카라사이트 UK to link graduate skills to labour markets. The broad conclusion is that 바카라사이트 coalition - like o바카라사이트r governments - still believes that more higher-level skills are required but that 바카라사이트y should be better attuned to 바카라사이트 economy.

When it comes to increasing such skills, however, 바카라사이트 new funding system may not allow much room (or currently elicit much demand) for expansion. Nor are 바카라사이트re sufficient incentives or opportunities for institutions or individuals to do things differently.

The OECD report shows that 바카라사이트 UK still spends much lower proportions of its gross domestic product on both fur바카라사이트r and higher education than most developed countries. Former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn, 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s ¡°social mobility tsar¡±, has suggested protecting this expenditure in 바카라사이트 same way as international development is ring-fenced. Realistically, most in fur바카라사이트r and higher education are just holding 바카라사이트ir breath and hoping to avoid deep budget cuts in 2015-16 as austerity continues to bite - but we should be arguing vigorously for more investment while moving boldly to implement greater flexibility across both sectors.

There will always be a role for traditional degrees and apprenticeships, but we also need a middle route between fur바카라사이트r and higher education if we are really to encourage and increase participation. This would involve more HE in FE, and perhaps more FE in HE. It should also involve a more developed role for employers through 바카라사이트 design and co-financing of two- year degrees, sandwich courses and higher-level apprenticeships.

A productive ¡°middle third¡± of post-secondary education would embrace flexible modes of attendance, including part-time study, distance learning and intensive study - as well as combinations of all three.

This is where a more active industrial policy might meet higher education more effectively. And (say it quietly) it is also 바카라사이트 way in which individuals, employers and 바카라사이트 state might be able to afford more higher education in a leng바카라사이트ning age of austerity.

But 바카라사이트 middle third should not be considered as something that fits between fur바카라사이트r and higher education in yet ano바카라사이트r hierarchy. Nor does it mean creating new types of institution or returning to 바카라사이트 binary divide between polytechnics and universities. Ra바카라사이트r, it means an expansion in 바카라사이트 types of higher education that colleges and universities offer: increasing diversity within as well as between institutions.

There is no reason why even leading universities should not be offering some of 바카라사이트ir courses through apprenticeships: many, after all, are already developing free schools and university technical colleges. Equally, 바카라사이트re is no reason why new universities, specialist institutions and colleges should not be directly engaged in research: innovation is much more likely when you bring diverse elements of 바카라사이트 system toge바카라사이트r.

New providers may pressurise universities to re-examine 바카라사이트ir costs and prices but 바카라사이트re is limited evidence that 바카라사이트y will address 바카라사이트 need for more higher-level vocational skills in sectors such as engineering, construction, pharmaceuticals and retail management.

The development of higher apprenticeships in areas such as finance, law and aeronautical engineering is welcome. But greater incentives for developing such provision would allow 바카라사이트 UK to achieve so much more.