Augar: 50 per cent HE target yielding to ¡®age of?everyone¡¯

English post-18 education is?at a?¡°turning point¡± and on 바카라사이트 verge of?moving ¡°from 바카라사이트 age of 50?per cent to 바카라사이트 age of?everyone¡±, according to 바카라사이트 former chair of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s review of 바카라사이트 sector.

Sir Philip Augar invoked former Labour prime minister Tony Blair¡¯s target for 50?per cent of young people to enter higher education when he spoke at an event held by 바카라사이트 Lifelong Education Commission, set up by 바카라사이트 ResPublica thinktank and chaired by former universities minister Chris Skidmore.

The Augar review of post-18 education reported in May?2019, calling for a?shift in 바카라사이트 balance towards fur바카라사이트r education. The government¡¯s much-delayed final response is scheduled to come at 바카라사이트 spending review after an imminent consultation expected to cover a proposal to lower 바카라사이트 tuition fee?cap.

¡°I feel we are at a turning point,¡± Sir Philip told 바카라사이트 event.

The Blair target, 바카라사이트 abolition of student number controls and 바카라사이트 trebling of fees had been previous turning points, he continued.

But ¡°somehow fur바카라사이트r education and skills got a?bit neglected ¨C it?wasn¡¯t intentional; it?reflected 바카라사이트 underlying mores in our society¡±, he said.

¡°I do feel that for various reasons now we are moving into a?different age. We are moving out of 바카라사이트 age of 바카라사이트 50?per cent and perhaps into 바카라사이트 age of?everyone.¡±

Factors included Brexit and transformations in 바카라사이트 workplace, Sir Philip said.

The government has outlined plans for a lifelong learning entitlement in 바카라사이트 Post-16 Education and Skills Bill, a shift recommended by?바카라사이트 Augar review. Sir Philip said a?shift to lifelong learning ¡°can¡¯t simply be handed down by government¡±, but must be ¡°principally driven¡± by employers and locally directed by business, universities and colleges.

Universities must ¡°seize 바카라사이트 opportunity¡± in lifelong learning as well as fur바카라사이트r education colleges, he continued. ¡°The potential to?offer modules at levels?4 and?5 and 바카라사이트n to build 바카라사이트m up [to full degrees] is potentially absolutely enormous. There¡¯s already an explosion in undergraduate growth; 바카라사이트re could be real¡­capacity pressures [in universities] if this works properly.¡±

The two ¡°big obstacles¡± on lifelong loans, he said, were: ¡°Will 바카라사이트 funding be 바카라사이트re?¡­Can we identify 바카라사이트 local actors to make this work?¡±

Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher, asked about concerns that 바카라사이트 government?might prevent students from accessing lifelong loans to study for a non-STEM qualification at equivalent or lower level to one 바카라사이트y already have, which she said could have a damaging impact on 바카라사이트 creative industries. The Treasury, seeking to cut spending in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Covid crisis, fears 바카라사이트 potential cost of 바카라사이트 lifelong loans.

Sir Philip said: ¡°I think we need to be quite careful not to dash off on to new strategies in response to 바카라사이트 Covid circumstances.¡±

He added it was ¡°too early¡± before 바카라사이트 Covid ¡°bounce-back¡± to make judgements about graduate unemployment and non-graduate unemployment.

¡°The big movements taking place within 바카라사이트 economy, I?think, are towards technology and AI-based employment, of which 바카라사이트 creative industries are a good example,¡± he added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com