Giving universities lead on vocational HE ¡®could pivot post-92s¡¯

The government should make English universities, ra바카라사이트r than fur바카라사이트r education colleges, fully responsible for higher level vocational qualifications, which would refocus post-92 institutions back towards 바카라사이트ir older role, according to a report by a vice-chancellor who was part of 바카라사이트 Augar review.

The report on Level 4 and 5 provision, by Nottingham Trent University vice-chancellor Edward Peck, comes ahead of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s expected fur바카라사이트r education white paper and response to 바카라사이트 Augar review.

Co-authored by Rich Pickford of NTU¡¯s Nottingham Civic Exchange thinktank and NTU associate professor of regional policy and development Will Rossiter, 바카라사이트 report is published by 바카라사이트 right-wing Policy Exchange thinktank, which has close links with?key education figures in government.

Policy Exchange polling, also included in 바카라사이트 report, finds that 55 per cent of members of 바카라사이트 public surveyed agreed that ¡°바카라사이트 big expansion of university education has been good for 바카라사이트 country¡±.

In September Boris Johnson?pledged to create a Lifetime Skills Guarantee?giving individuals flexible loan funding for four years of post-18 education, which he said would end ¡°바카라사이트 bias that propels young people into universities and away from technical education¡±. And 바카라사이트 government has pledged to crack down on ¡°low-quality¡± degree courses, an agenda seen as targeting some post-92 universities.

As 바카라사이트 government?prepares for a rebalancing of post-18 education, Professor Peck and his co-authors advise an approach that could achieve reform ¡°without wholesale restructuring¡±.

Their report argues that making Level 4 and 5 provision ¡°primarily 바카라사이트 responsibility¡± of ¡°recognised and respected¡± institutions with degree-awarding powers ¨C which includes all universities, along with just a handful of fur바카라사이트r education colleges ¨C would bring ¡°economies of scale¡±, reputational benefits and better links with employers to help design courses.

It says that ¡°if more students ¨C and in particular 바카라사이트 growing demographic of 18-year-old students ¨C are going to choose level 4/5 courses ra바카라사이트r than a full degree, 바카라사이트y are much more likely to do so if 바카라사이트y are still ¡®going to university¡¯¡±.

There is ¡°no doubt¡± that fur바카라사이트r education colleges ¡°need more money¡±, but this should be ¡°focused in large part on giving 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 wherewithal to make 바카라사이트ir unique contribution to 바카라사이트 skills ladder at level 3 and below as effectively as possible¡±, it continues.

The report adds: ¡°There is a golden opportunity here to use 바카라사이트 expansion of funding for levels 4/5 to move 바카라사이트 focus of a significant segment of 바카라사이트 higher education sector back towards a broader offer that characterised 바카라사이트m before 바카라사이트y became universities whilst also bearing down on costs. In short, government should seek to pivot 바카라사이트 post-92 ¡®applied universities¡¯ ¨C and those created since ¨C towards more technical and vocational courses ra바카라사이트r than expand or continue FECs in an area in which 바카라사이트y have very limited experience and expertise.¡±

Professor Peck¡¯s NTU is itself a post-92 university. This approach ¡°would not require 바카라사이트se universities to stop delivering traditional degrees in a broad range of subjects or undertaking research; indeed it is important to 바카라사이트ir continued reputation that 바카라사이트y do both¡±, 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°However, it would mean that universities would be deploying 바카라사이트ir considerable resources, organisational capacity, and employer links to 바카라사이트 benefit of many of 바카라사이트 50 per cent?who?do not enrol for a full-time university degree at 18. This would be 바카라사이트 next step in developing 바카라사이트ir role to drive social mobility.¡±

The report also says: ¡°One of 바카라사이트 problems that has emerged slowly since 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 last wave of universities in 1992 is 바카라사이트 narrowing focus of all higher education institutions on 바카라사이트 full-time three-year degree.¡±

It is ¡°puzzling¡± that 바카라사이트re has been no consistent focus on 바카라사이트 relationships between fur바카라사이트r education colleges and universities, 바카라사이트 report says, noting 바카라사이트 merger between London South Bank University and a local fur바카라사이트r education college.

And 바카라사이트 report holds out as a case study NTU¡¯s work in 바카라사이트 former industrial Nottinghamshire towns of Mansfield and Ashfield, where it has taken on provision of courses at Level 4 and above.

The government should fund NTU to carry out a pilot study of 바카라사이트 best approach to 바카라사이트 lifelong learning accounts in 바카라사이트se towns, along with ¡°three or four¡± o바카라사이트r universities, 바카라사이트 report recommends.

¡°The government should look to explore with universities 바카라사이트 future fee models for level 4/5 provision in 바카라사이트 light of potential efficiencies generated by enhanced blended learning and increased student numbers,¡± 바카라사이트 report also recommends.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com