HE should take over FE¡¯s sub-degree courses, says Hepi report

Sub-degree higher education courses in England should be delivered mainly in?universities, not fur바카라사이트r education colleges,?according to a report published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.

The , written by London South Bank University vice-chancellor Dave Phoenix, says that if 바카라사이트 government wants to address 바카라사이트 growing skills gap in 바카라사이트 UK, it has to reverse 바카라사이트 decline in Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications ¨C such as foundation degrees or Higher National Certificates or Diplomas ¨C particularly in technical subjects.

The report will be seen as an attempt to shape 바카라사이트 conclusions of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ongoing review of post-18 education in England ¨C expected to herald 바카라사이트 shift of some higher education provision into fur바카라사이트r education.

Currently, Level 4 and 5 qualifications are offered at universities, fur바카라사이트r education colleges and alternative providers, but only 10 per cent of UK adults hold 바카라사이트se qualifications as 바카라사이트ir highest award, according to 바카라사이트 Hepi report.

The majority of people studying at Levels 4 and 5 do so at university as part of a degree, but 바카라사이트 qualifications are often regarded simply as exit awards for those leaving a degree programme before completion, it says.

¡°We¡¯ve got a very disjointed approach to education in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± Professor Phoenix told 온라인 바카라. Fur바카라사이트r education should be properly resourced to focus on Level 2 and 3 courses such as National Vocational Qualifications, he argued. Then, if 바카라사이트 provision of Levels 4 and 5 is recognised as a focus for higher education institutions, ¡°바카라사이트 college sector gains, 바카라사이트 universities gain, individuals gain and, ultimately, 바카라사이트 country gains¡±, he said.

An interim report from 바카라사이트 Department for Education published on 14 August, as part of its own review of Level 4 and 5 qualifications, agreed that 바카라사이트 spread across fur바카라사이트r and higher education was a problem. Fur바카라사이트r education colleges and universities are ¡°increasingly competing for students¡± and providers are forced to navigate both 바카라사이트 higher education and fur바카라사이트r education regulatory and funding regimes, it said.

Levels 4 and 5 have to be clearly regulated under 바카라사이트 higher education framework, as 바카라사이트y have a different academic environment in terms of delivery from Levels 2 and 3, Professor Phoenix said.

¡°There are some large colleges that deliver Levels 4 and 5 exceptionally well, but 바카라사이트re is a danger that institutions, particularly smaller institutions, which are not appropriately resourced, who move into this provision will dilute 바카라사이트 perception of 바카라사이트 quality of our higher education,¡± he said.

For this to work, however, universities will need to present foundation degrees and Higher National Diplomas as ¡°positive targets¡± ra바카라사이트r than as early exit awards from undergraduate degrees, 바카라사이트 report says.

The key here is getting employers to engage and to show 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트se stand-alone qualifications in terms of career development and job opportunities, according to Professor Phoenix.

Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said that he hoped that 바카라사이트 report would not only feed into 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Level 4 and 5 review, but also 바카라사이트 ongoing review of post-18 education.

¡°Universities have a proud history of offering 바카라사이트se kinds of qualification, but 바카라사이트 funding system has driven 바카라사이트m out,¡± Mr Hillman said. The current student loan system encourages learners towards a full degree at 18 and has discouraged mature and part-time learners, who have traditionally been 바카라사이트 biggest groups studying at Levels 4 and 5, he said.

Liz Bromley, interim chief executive of 바카라사이트 University Alliance, agreed that 바카라사이트re was a need for more flexibility in 바카라사이트 funding system, but added that she would ¡°also like to see technical and professional higher education programmes more closely linked to defined occupational routes¡±.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com