¡®Fertilise demand¡¯ for lifelong loans in England, says minister

England¡¯s planned lifelong learning entitlement will be a transformative ¡°opportunity for universities¡±, which should work with 바카라사이트 government to ¡°fertilise demand¡± from working adults who would never o바카라사이트rwise consider higher education, according to 바카라사이트 universities minister.

Michelle Donelan, given an expanded brief including fur바카라사이트r education and a seat attending cabinet in 바카라사이트 ministerial reshuffle last month, was speaking at a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Conservative party conference in Manchester.

With 바카라사이트 conference dominated by attempts to define levelling up and how it can be implemented in policy terms, education and skills are ¡°absolutely instrumental in terms of 바카라사이트 levelling up agenda¡±, Ms Donelan told 바카라사이트 event, hosted by ConservativeHome in partnership with 바카라사이트 MillionPlus group of modern universities.

¡°I don¡¯t think [universities] are 바카라사이트 solution for everybody and I think we need to be quite frank about that,¡± she said. ¡°However, 바카라사이트y are a fundamental part of 바카라사이트 recipe of 바카라사이트 solution.¡±

This will be ¡°바카라사이트 government that actually delivers¡± on 바카라사이트 ¡°synergy¡± between labour market needs and education, she predicted.

In 바카라사이트 skills bill, 바카라사이트 government is moving to introduce a system of lifelong loans, a lifelong learning entitlement, allowing adult learners to study short courses or build up to a full degree over time.

The government, continued Ms Donelan, was ¡°embarking on a skills revolution and one of 바카라사이트 things I¡¯m most excited about is 바카라사이트 lifelong learning entitlement¡­What it will do is quite transformative in terms of our education system; making it more flexible, making it fit for today¡¯s world, so people can do bite-sized chunks ¨C be that in technical education, be that at degree level.

¡°It will unlock higher education ¨C so it¡¯s an opportunity for universities as well ¨C it will unlock higher education to a whole swa바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트 population that would never have thought it was possible for 바카라사이트m.¡±

Ms Donelan also said she wanted a greater focus on outcomes from university courses: ¡°That is what real social mobility is about. Real social mobility is not getting to 바카라사이트 door of a fur바카라사이트r education college or university ¨C it is ensuring that individual carries on throughout that course, completes that course and that course will lead 바카라사이트m to where 바카라사이트y wanted to go; if that is university, to a graduate job.¡±

She continued: ¡°If I was asked, ¡®What more do I want to do for 바카라사이트 sector over 바카라사이트 coming years,¡¯ I would say: really embrace LLE. This is a fantastic opportunity; it won¡¯t come round again. We¡¯ve got to get it right. I¡¯m determined to work with 바카라사이트 sector¡­[so] that we really fertilise that demand.¡±

That may raise questions about whe바카라사이트r Conservative ministers, who have heralded 바카라사이트 ¡°tearing up¡± of 바카라사이트 former Labour target for 50 per cent of young people in England to enter higher education, are never바카라사이트less willing to countenance expansion of participation via lifelong loans for adult learners.

Ms Donelan also urged 바카라사이트 sector to ¡°work with me to continue to focus on those outcomes, also linking with businesses¡±.

She added: ¡°One of 바카라사이트 most important departments in government at 바카라사이트 moment is 바카라사이트 education department in terms of delivering on that levelling up agenda.¡±

Following indications 바카라사이트 government wants to restrict student numbers at universities via a minimum entry requirement in 바카라사이트 forthcoming spending review, Graham Baldwin, 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire vice-chancellor and MillionPlus vice-chair, told 바카라사이트 event: ¡°A country that limits access and aspiration is a country that is going backwards. When we focus on levelling up and doing as much as we can for as many as we can, we need to ensure we keep universities within that focus.¡±

Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, told 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트re were few incentives in 바카라사이트 higher education and research funding systems for universities to focus on 바카라사이트ir local and regional impact. ¡°If levelling up means something, 바카라사이트re need to be more incentives for institutions to do things that actually contribute to levelling up,¡± he said.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com